Nephew, 2 others found guilty after ordering murder of uncle from jail
UPPER MARLBORO, Md. - Scheming, conniving and ruthless. That is how the mother of a victim in a murder case describes the men who killed her son.
After a three-week jury trial, the three suspects in this case were found guilty on 45 counts, including first-degree murder, for a hit that prosecutors said was not only ordered, but also recorded on jailhouse phone lines.
Prosecutors said the mastermind of this cold-blooded plot was Brian Mayhew. They said he put out an order from jail to have his uncle killed because he thought it would keep him from being prosecuted for two other murders.
Police found a bullet-ridden door when they showed up at the murder scene in December 2012. Nicoh Mayhew was holding his 2-year-old son in his arms when he was shot and killed in front of his mother's apartment. His young son was also shot, but survived.
Nicoh's nephew was set to stand trial for a double murder in 2011 when police said he ordered the killing from jail.
On Thursday, Brian Mayhew, Stanley Winston and Anthony Cannon were found guilty for Nicoh's murder.
Prosecutors have released video and audio that helped them the convictions. They said surveillance video shows Nicoh and his son pulling up to an apartment building in a white car and entering the building. Then, you see two men crouched down running into the building. Prosecutors said these were the shooters.
Prosecutors have also released audio from jail phones of Brian Mayhew ordering the killing to be carried out and then his celebration once it had happened.
"They know what they did to my son," said the victim's mother, Cynthia Dinkins-Mayhew. "They just blew my child's brain out and I had to clean up Nicoh's brain. I don't think any mother or anybody should have to go through that."
"It's almost hard to understand how dangerous he was - one to commit a double murder just five days after he had gotten out of jail on a robbery charge," said prosecutor Christine Murphy. "While he was in jail awaiting trial on that double murder, he ordered the hit of not just any witness, but a witness that was family member - his uncle. He did it without seeming to care or think about the fact Nicoh's son was going to be there too. On a number of the jail calls, they ask what about that little joint that was with him at the time and Brian's response was 'So what?'"
As for Nicoh's son, he is 5 years old now. Nicoh's mother said the boy has a scar on his arm, but he is doing well, but he misses having a father.
Despite Nicoh's death, Brian Mayhew was prosecuted on the original two murder charges, convicted and sentenced to life plus 20 years.
He and the other two defendants in this latest case will be sentenced Tuesday. They face multiple life sentences.