Holbrook Guilty in Shymanski Murder After 8-Day Trial

PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. — A Calvert County jury convicted Brandon Ross Holbrook, 49, of Reedsville, Pennsylvania, on April 9, 2025, for the murder of Joseph Shymanski, a prominent Washington, D.C., photographer and businessman. The verdict came after an eight-day trial in Calvert County Circuit Court, concluding a case that began with Shymanski’s death on September 3, 2023. Holbrook faces sentencing on July 18, 2025, with prosecutors seeking life imprisonment without parole.

The crime unfolded when Holbrook shot Shymanski in the driveway of his Huntingtown, Maryland, home. Following the killing, Holbrook transported Shymanski’s body 204 miles to his residence in Reedsville, where he dismembered and burned it. Investigators from the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office recovered Shymanski’s remains near Holbrook’s property, identifying them through forensic analysis, including dental records, as reported by the Southern Maryland Chronicle.

Video evidence played a key role, placing Holbrook’s white Dodge pickup truck near Shymanski’s home around 5:36 p.m. on September 3, shortly after a neighbor heard gunshots. License plate readers tracked the vehicle leaving Calvert County on Route 4, corroborating the timeline. Forensic evidence further tied Holbrook to the dismemberment and burning, with remains found in a wooded area near his home, per The Sentinel.

Shymanski, 51, was reported missing on September 4, 2023, by his ex-wife, Heather Nichole Snyder, during a child custody exchange. Detectives found blood on his driveway, indicating foul play, and developed Holbrook as a suspect after learning of his past relationship with Snyder and his expressed anger toward Shymanski. Holbrook was arrested in Pennsylvania on September 6, 2023, and extradited to Maryland later that month.

The grand jury indicted Holbrook on November 20, 2023, charging him with common law murder, first- and second-degree assault, firearm use in a violent crime, and altering physical evidence. Assistant State’s Attorneys Benjamin G. Lerner and Christopher J. Monte prosecuted the case, which drew significant attention due to Shymanski’s prominence and the crime’s grisly nature. The Calvert County State’s Attorney’s Office announced its intent to seek life without parole in January 2024, a stance it maintained post-conviction.

Holbrook rejected a plea deal in September 2024, opting for trial, which began March 31, 2025, under Judge Mark Chandlee. The defense argued insufficient direct evidence, but the jury sided with the prosecution’s case, built on video, forensic findings, and witness testimony. Shymanski’s family and friends, rallied under “Justice for Joe,” attended the proceedings, seeking closure after a nearly two-year ordeal, per the Justice for Joe Shymanski site.

The sentencing in July will determine Holbrook’s fate, capping a case that bridged Maryland and Pennsylvania law enforcement efforts.