Man charged with hate crimes in Maryland parking dispute killings

A man accused of killing three people and injuring three others in June over a parking spot dispute outside a home in Maryland's capital city will face hate crime charges, prosecutors announced Monday.

Maryland prosecutors have filed hate crime charges against Charles Robert Smith, 43, who is accused of fatally shooting three Latino people on June 11 in a residential area of Annapolis, Maryland. Smith was initially charged with second-degree murder but according to an indictment returned by an Anne Arundel County grand jury on Friday, he now faces first-degree murder and hate-crime charges in the killings of Mario Mireles, his father Nicholas Mireles, and Christian Segovia.

The 42-count indictment includes three counts of first-degree murder, three counts of race crime resulting in death, and six counts each of attempted first-degree murder, among other charges, the Anne Arundel County State's Attorney's Office said in a statement Monday.

Smith remains in jail without bond, according to the state's attorney's office, and his next court appearance was scheduled for July 31. Two of Smith's initial lawyers are no longer representing him, and it was unclear Monday who his new attorney was.

Maryland’s hate crime law applies to crimes that are motivated either in whole or in substantial part to another person’s race, color, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, disability or national origin. It enables prosecutors to add years to a sentence, and financial penalties.

Smith faces up to life in prison without the possibility of parole if he is convicted of first-degree murder.

An 'interpersonal dispute'

Annapolis Police Edward Jackson had previously said the shooting stemmed from an “interpersonal dispute" and involved two weapons − a long handgun and a semi-automatic handgun.

The six people who were shot were attending a large party at the Mireles' home when an argument broke out between one of the victims and Smith's family over a parking issue, according to police charging documents.

While arguing with Shirley Smith, her son, Charles Smith, returned home and confronted Mario Mireles, the documents said. The argument turned physical and Smith pulled out a gun and shot at Mireles and Segovia.

Smith "then stood over Mario Mireles and shot him several more times," the document adds. He then retrieved a rifle from his house and started firing through a window at people who were trying to help the victims.

Smith fatally shot Nicolas Mireles, and wounded Rosalina Segovia, Paul Johnnson, and Enner Canales-Hernandez, police said. When police arrived at the scene, Smith surrendered and told responding officers he shot the victims because they fired at his house.

But according to the charging documents, none of the witnesses interviewed saw any of the victims with a firearm.

Alleged shooter had history with victims

According to court documents, Smith's family and the victim's family have had a history of disputes.

The families have lived on the same street for years and have gone to court over allegations of racial slurs against one of the victims. In September 2016, Mario Mireles sought a peace order petition and accused Shirley Smith of harassing him and their Black neighbors since he was a child.

In the petition, Mireles wrote that while he was washing his car in front of his house, Smith drove fast by him about an "arm length away," saying he believed she was "targeting" him with her car. Smith also sought a peace order petition and accused Mireles of hitting her car with a large wet towel or blanket.

The judge denied both their petitions.

Contributing: Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY; Associated Press