High-Stakes Trial Begins in Calvert for Photographer’s Murder
Mar 31
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PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. — The trial of Brandon Ross Holbrook, a 49-year-old man from Reedsville, Pennsylvania, begins today, March 31, 2025, in Calvert County Circuit Court, marking what could be one of the most closely watched legal proceedings in the county’s history.
Holbrook is charged with the murder of Joseph Anthony Shymanski, a 51-year-old Huntingtown resident and celebrated Washington, D.C.-based photographer, in early September 2023. The trial, expected to last 10 days, will delve into a case that has gripped the community with its grisly details and emotional weight.
Holbrook faces a five-count indictment, including common law murder, first- and second-degree assault, firearm use in a violent crime, and altering physical evidence in a criminal procedure. The Calvert County State’s Attorney’s Office, led by prosecutors Benjamin G. Lerner and Christopher J. Monte, filed a notice on January 26, 2024, seeking life without the possibility of parole if Holbrook is convicted.
The case alleges that Holbrook shot Shymanski in the driveway of his Cari Drive home on September 3, 2023, before transporting the body 204 miles to his Pennsylvania residence, where he dismembered and attempted to burn it. Shymanski’s remains were later identified through dental records, found in a wooded area near Holbrook’s home, according to court documents.
Shymanski, a father of two, was reported missing by his ex-wife, Heather Nichole Snyder, on September 4, 2023, during a child custody exchange. Detectives from the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office, led by Detective Wayne Wells, found blood evidence on Shymanski’s driveway, with splatter patterns indicating foul play. License plate reader data captured Holbrook’s white Dodge pickup truck leaving Calvert County on Route 4 at 5:36 p.m. on September 3, shortly after a neighbor reported hearing gunshots.
Snyder disclosed to investigators that Holbrook, her former significant other, had expressed anger toward Shymanski over personal grievances, though the exact motive remains unclear. Physical evidence linking Holbrook to the crime was recovered near his Pennsylvania home, though police have not confirmed whether the murder weapon was found.
The trial, presided over by Judge Mark Chandlee, follows two prior postponements. Initially set for May 14, 2024, it was delayed to September 17 after prosecutors requested more time to analyze forensic evidence, a motion granted despite defense objections over Maryland’s 180-day Hicks rule for timely trials. The September date was later vacated, rescheduling the trial for March 31, 2025, after Holbrook rejected a plea deal on September 16, 2024.
Defense attorney Thomas C. Mooney argued against the plea, noting it would expose Holbrook to the “harshest penalty possible.” Holbrook, held without bond at the Calvert County Detention Center since his extradition in September 2023, has maintained his innocence, with his legal team previously attempting to dismiss charges in October 2023, citing insufficient evidence—a motion denied by Judge Robyn Riddle for probable cause.
As proceedings begin, all eyes are on the Prince Frederick courthouse.
