Holbrook trial begins in Prince Frederick, Md.

PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. — The trial of Brandon R. Holbrook, the Reedsville man accused of the brutal murder of well-known Washington, D.C. photographer Joseph Shymanski, began on Monday.

Holbrook, who has been in custody since last year, rejected a plea deal and now faces a trial in a Calvert County, Md., Circuit Courtroom.

Family and others close to Shymanski sat in the courtroom, hoping to learn more about Holbrook, the man accused of killing him.

On Monday, jury selection began in the high-profile murder trial.

On Tuesday, the prosecution outlined the steps they say Holbrook took to kill Shymanski and hide his remains. The defense countered Holbrook had no reason to kill Shymanski, while suggesting Shymanski’s ex-wife might have been involved.

The case stems from the tragic events of September 2023, when the 51-year-old Shymanski, who lived in Huntingtown, Md., was reported missing by family and friends. An investigation led to Holbrook’s indictment on Nov. 20, 2023, by a Calvert County grand injury.

Holbrook is accused of driving from his home in Mifflin County to Shymanski’s Maryland home, reportedly shooting and killing the photographer in his driveway.

Investigators said doorbell video and license plate readers placed Holbrook’s white Dodge pickup truck at Shymanski’s home shortly after a neighbor reported hearing gunshots.

The prosecution alleges Holbrook loaded Shymanski’s body into his pickup truck and drove him to Pennsylvania after the shooting. Video from a Pennsylvania gas station shows Holbrook driving his truck that night near Reedsville.

Investigators said video from a local retail store shows Holbrook discarding human remains outside the store where he bought cleaning supplies. Investigators soon discovered Shymanski’s burnt remains in the woods behind Holbrook’s home.

Court documents also revealed that forensic experts used dental records to positively identify Shymanski.

When trying to connect Shymanski with Holbrook, detectives discovered that Holbrook used to date Shymanski’s ex-wife. The two split and she reportedly began to “distance herself” from Holbrook prior to the shooting.

Court records show that Holbrook is charged with first- and second-degree murder, first-degree assault, use of a firearm in a violent crime, and altering physical evidence in a criminal process.

The trial is expected to last 10 days — through Friday, April 11 — and has already drawn regional and national attention.

In court filings from January, the Calvert County State’s Attorney’s Office announced it would seek life imprisonment without the possibility of parole if Holbrook is convicted.

Judge Mark Chandlee is presiding over the proceedings. Holbrook is represented by attorney Thomas C. Mooney of Upper Marlboro, Md. Prosecutors Benjamin G. Lerner and Christopher J. Monte will argue the state’s case.