A Maryland family came home from vacation to a scene that made zero sense to them. They left an empty home and came back to what appeared to be a full house. Several young children were on their front porch, crying, saying they couldn’t find their father. But he wasn’t far away. In fact, inside the house, a stranger was asleep in the master bedroom.
The man found in the bedroom was later identified as Marcus Antonio McCoy, 24, of Temple Hills. Police were called for what was reported as a break-in in progress, but that was far from the weirdest thing about what happened during the scene.
What happened next escalated quickly. Charging documents say a homeowner yelled at the man to wake up, and McCoy mumbled in response. One homeowner grabbed an unloaded shotgun from the back door and racked it to startle him. McCoy allegedly got agitated and got in the homeowner’s face, and a struggle broke out in the living room.
The two homeowners held McCoy down until officers arrived, the documents say, as he allegedly kicked and tried to push them off. One homeowner was hurt. He was evaluated at the scene, then taken to a hospital for possible injuries to his ribs. McCoy was charged with fourth-degree burglary and two counts of second-degree assault. He was released on his own recognizance the next day, and a trial is set for August.
What the Charges Mean in Maryland
Fourth-degree burglary is the least serious burglary charge in Maryland. It’s a misdemeanor that generally applies to entering a home without permission, but without the intent to commit a separate crime like theft once inside. In other words, it fits being somewhere you had no right to be, rather than ransacking the place. Second-degree assault, also a misdemeanor, involves causing or threatening physical harm. McCoy faces two counts of that, tied to the struggle the documents describe.
Neither charge is a felony, which helps explain why McCoy was released on his own recognizance the day after his arrest. In Maryland, fourth-degree burglary can carry up to three years behind bars, and second-degree assault can carry more, though sentencing turns on the specific facts and any prior record.
What to Do If You Find Someone in Your Home
The homeowners in this case physically confronted and restrained the man, and it ended with one of them injured. Police and home-security experts generally advise the opposite. If you come home and suspect someone is inside, the safest move is usually to not go in. Back out, get to a safe distance, and call 911, letting officers handle the person. Confronting an intruder, even one who seems out of it, can turn unpredictable fast.
A few basics before a trip help, too. Ask a neighbor to watch the house, hold your mail, and make the place look lived-in while you’re away. A doorbell camera can show you what’s happening before you ever open the door. None of that erases how unsettling the day was for the family, especially the children left frightened on the porch. For now, the case heads to court, and McCoy keeps the presumption of innocence until it’s resolved.