Montgomery County triple-murder suspect had multiple run-ins with police

BROOKEVILLE, Md. - A man who authorities said shot three people to death after his wife ran to a home in their Montgomery County neighborhood for help during a domestic violence incident had multiple run-ins with police, according to officials.

Chris Snyder, 41, is accused of killing 66-year-old Mary Olson, 70-year-old Danny Murphy and 54-year-old Craig Shotwell on May 7 at Olson's home on Brown Farm Way in Brookeville.

Authorities said Snyder held his wife captive over the weekend when she escaped and ran to Olson's home for help.

After opening fire at Olson's home, Snyder retreated back to his home and later killed himself after an hourslong standoff with police, according to officials.

EXCLUSIVE: Widow of victim killed in Brookeville triple shooting details how she escaped rampage

FOX 5 has learned Snyder had multiple run-ins with police before the triple shooting.

Authorities confirmed Snyder was arrested in 2014 after he was accused of putting a gun to his then girlfriend's head and threatening to kill her.

Those charges were dropped because Snyder's girlfriend later recanted her story, according to Montgomery County Police Chief Tom Manger. It is not believed that Snyder's wife who survived on May 7 is the same woman who accused Snyder of putting a gun to her head.

The Montgomery County State's Attorney's Office said it's illegal for them to talk about the charges Snyder faced since they were expunged from his record.

Manger told FOX 5 that Snyder emailed him a number of times following his arrest in 2014.

"He was arrested in his vehicle and had the guns in his vehicle and so he sent an email to me complaining about the fact that we just took the victim's word for it, that we didn't do any investigation and that he was arrested based on nothing but an allegation from this victim," Manger said.

Snyder had at least one more run-in with police, more recently in 2017 when he was arrested for possessing drugs and a dangerous weapon.

Neither the police chief nor the states attorney's office could tell FOX 5 why those charges were also dropped.