Man found dead in Hanover model home
Police say death of real estate sales rep is being investigated as a homicide
Police say an Annapolis man working with a real estate company was found dead Wednesday of an apparent homicide after his body was discovered inside a Hanover model home.
Anne Arundel police said the body of Steven Bernard Wilson, 33, was found inside a model home in the 7500 block of Newmanstown Drive.
Officers initially responded to a 911 call coming from the location at 5:06 p.m. when they discovered Wilson “suffering from apparent trauma.”
Police said medics rendered aid but later pronounced Wilson dead at the scene. His body was sent to the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Baltimore, where an autopsy was to be performed Thursday, police said.
Wilson was working with Ryan Homes, where police say he was a sales and marketing representative.
Leland Sampson, Wilson’s brother-inlaw who’s acting as the family’s spokesman, said Wilson worked with Admiral Tire until 2017, an Annapolis-based auto center owned by his parents.
He added Wilson — originally from Edgewater — leaves behind a wife and two children. In a statement on behalf of the family, Sampson wrote in an email that Wilson “was a loving husband, son, brother and friend.”
“The family is awaiting the results of a police investigation of his death and has no comment at this time,” Sampson wrote.
Michele Cordel, president of the Anne Arundel County Association of Realtors, said the group will discuss the details of Wilson’s death at their next meeting this morning.
She said Realtors’ safety has long been a topic of discussion with the association, with members training with police about how to protect themselves and prevent becoming isolated with a potential buyer inside a home.
But, she added, “Every builder has their own procedures because it’s their own property and their land rights.”
“We are very aware that we are setting ourselves up with open doors,” she said, adding that she’ll regularly lock the front door of an open house “so I can look out and make sure I’m in a situation where I feel comfortable opening the door.”
“Anytime that you’re in a situation where you’re in a home and you have a big sign outside that says ‘open house,’ you’re letting people in the door and they have not been vetted,” she said.
Police said detectives were able to “identify multiple pieces of evidence throughout the night,” but a canvas of the surrounding area did not lead to an arrest.
The department also did not say whether they’ve identified a suspect in Wilson’s death, but are asking anyone with information to call 410-222-4731 or leave tips anonymously at 410-222-4700.