Man sentenced to 120 years in prison for 2025 Rockville double murder

ROCKVILLE, Md. - A man was sentenced to 120 years in prison for gunning down two people in Rockville last year, according to the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Kaloyan Stoev was sentenced following his April 23 conviction by a jury on two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and two counts of possession of a firearm while prohibited.

RELATED: Suspect denied bond after drug deal gone wrong in Rockville left 2 adults dead: police

Police said Stoev shot and killed 26-year-old Marcell Hebron, also known as rapper Lil Xelly, and 27-year-old Leilani Marroquin during the early morning hours of Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. 

Detectives believe Stoev was sitting in the backseat of a parked BMW on Research Court when he opened fire with two loaded handguns on Hebron, who was in the driver's seat, shooting him 27 times from inside and outside the vehicle.

Marroquin fled the car, but Stoev shot her five times from the side and behind. Both victims were pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators said Stoev then sat on top of Hebron’s body and drove the vehicle to Shady Grove Road and Research Boulevard, where the car stopped running. 

Stoev fled on foot back to a hotel where he was renting a room. Investigators showed up when someone at the hotel reported a dead body in the parking lot. Stoev lied to investigators at first, telling them that he was at Home Depot earlier in the day. 

Officials found three guns on Stoev when he was arrested. 

Despite months of investigation and a trial, Stoev never really got his story straight on why the shooting happened. 

"This was a case of tremendous community impact," said State’s Attorney John McCarthy. "The victim, Mr. Hebron, was a well-known recording artist who recorded music here in our community. Many grieved his passing… It was a very emotional couple of hours of testimony for both of these victims."

McCarthy said Stoev's story changed from the shooting being in self-defense, to a drug deal gone bad, but even at his sentencing, Stoev said he really didn't have an explanation for why the shooting happened. 

FOX 5 previously reported that the shootings happened after a botched marijuana deal.

"The senseless and violent loss of the victims has left two families in our community devastated," said McCarthy prior to the sentencing.

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