'It’s important that we find justice for Joe' | Trial begins for man accused of killing DC photographer
Mar 31
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The trial of Brandon Holbrook, accused of murdering and dismembering D.C. photographer Joe Shymanski, is underway.
CALVERT COUNTY, Md. — The trial of Brandon Holbrook, the man accused of the brutal murder and dismemberment of well-known D.C. photographer Joe Shymanski, began Monday. Holbrook, who has been in custody since last year, rejected a plea deal and will now face trial in a Calvert County courtroom.
Kathryn Holmes-Johnson walked into the Calvert County Courthouse Tuesday, reminiscing on her 18-year friendship with the D.C. photographer, which ended all too soon.
“He did the first professional photoshoot my family had ever done, and my kids were in their late teens at that point,” she recalled. “Joe shot the college photos for my oldest daughter, and I planned to do it for my youngest daughter, but unfortunately, he was gone.”
She joined others close to Shymanski to learn more about the man accused of killing him.
The case stems from the tragic events of Labor Day weekend in 2023, when Shymanski was reported missing by friends and family. An investigation led to Holbrook’s indictment on Nov. 20, 2023, by a Calvert County grand jury. Prosecutors allege that Holbrook drove from his home in Reedsville, Pennsylvania, to Shymanski’s residence in Calvert County, where he reportedly shot and killed the photographer in his driveway.
Surveillance footage and license plate readers placed Holbrook at the scene around the time a neighbor reported hearing gunshots. Prosecutors say Holbrook then transported Shymanski’s body to Pennsylvania, where gas station footage captured his truck on the night of the murder. Further video evidence allegedly shows Holbrook discarding human remains outside a Weis Market after purchasing cleaning supplies. Investigators later discovered Shymanski’s burnt remains in the woods behind Holbrook’s home.
A possible motive for the crime remains unclear, though investigators noted that Holbrook had previously been in a relationship with Shymanski’s ex-wife. The two had since separated, with the woman reportedly distancing herself from Holbrook in the months leading up to the murder.
In court Tuesday, the prosecution outlined the steps they say Holbrook took to kill Shymanski and hide his remains, including cutting up the body and burning the pieces in the woods behind his house.
Meanwhile, the defense countered that Holbrook had no reason to kill Shymanski, while suggesting that Shymanski’s ex-wife may have been involved.
“That’s something I hope to find out more about during this trial,” said Keith MacAllum.
With the trial underway, Shymanski’s loved ones hope to get the answers they’ve waited more than 18 months for.
“I think it’s important that we find justice for Joe, and that we support his family, and we want justice for him,” she said.
