Official Police Press Release in Hall Drowning Case

The Calvert County Sheriff’s Office issued a press release yesterday as a follow-up to the drowning investigation of Demitrius Lamar Hall, 26 of Lusby, who was found in Lake Lariat in the Chesapeake Ranch Estates on May.

In a previous report by TheBAYNET.com, Hall’s death was determined to be an accidental drowning. The toxicology report showed that Hall’s Blood Alcohol Content was 0.06 at the time of death.

With the medical examiner’s office finding of accidental drowning, Calvert County is considering the investigation to be closed, however, a few inconsistencies were found between yesterday’s press release and the original release in May.

In a previous story, TheBAYNET.com printed the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office press release from May 6. In the report, it states:

“Upon arriving, Deputy Rickard observed a subject flee from the residence into a wooded area towards a nearby lake. Deputy Rickard chased the fleeing subject, but was unable to locate him.

“It was later determined that the subject was 26-year-old Demetrius Lamar Hall of Lusby. It was also determined that Hall was wanted by the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office for child support.”

Sheriff Evans was also quoted to have said one officer gave chase, but pulled back after the running man entered the woods.

“At the time, we didn’t know who we were dealing with, or why he was running,” Evans told Bay Net’s then Managing Editor, Sean Rice.

In the most recent press release, the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office reports they only heard what sounded like someone walking or running through the woods next to the house. After checking the area, they were “unable to locate anyone.”

The report continues, “the deputies never actually saw Hall, and he was at no time in police custody.”

After reporters at the Bay Net pointed out the inconsistencies to the Sheriff’s Office, Lt. Bobby R. Jones checked the initial deputies’ reports. Lt. Jones stated the initial reports of the deputies responding to the noise complaint at the scene where Hall fled both stated they never saw anyone fleeing the scene.

The official written report by the deputies was not written until May 10, four days after the initial press release, reason being that they cleared the May 2 scene and took no further action. Therefore, the May 6 press release contained incomplete and inaccurate information.

The Hall family is still not convinced by the medical examiner’s findings.

“He wasn’t a drinker and so that part we do not believe,” said Geraldine Hall-Miles, Lamar’s aunt. “That is why his body is going to be exhumed and an independent autopsy performed.”

However, reports from family members are also inconsistent with what witnesses to the scene reported. Hall-Miles claims the water in which Hall’s body was found was only ankle deep. The police report said his body was found floating in Lake Lariat.

Readers, claiming to have been witnesses to the scene of the body being found, allege that a boy who was boating in the middle of the lake found Hall’s body. They also claim his body was almost completely covered in water.

Lt. Jones confirmed this report. Local teenagers boating in the area did in fact find Hall’s body in the middle of the lake, where it was deeper than a few inches.