ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, Md. — Baltimore Police Officer, Eric Banks, has been charged with first degree murder, second degree murder and child abuse following the death of his 15-year-old stepson, Dasan "DJ" Jones, on July 6, according to Maryland court records.
The teen was found unresponsive inside a home in Curtis Bay, Maryland, on Tuesday, July 6, after a custody dispute, according to Anne Arundel County Police Department.
Officers were called to the home just before 5 a.m. in the 1400 block of Stoney Point Way to conduct a welfare check of a 15-year-old boy after his stepfather said he left the home, leaving his things behind, police said.
Police discovered the teen unresponsive in an upstairs room inside the home and conducted emergency efforts until fire crews arrived at the scene.
During a news conference Wednesday morning, Anne Arundel County Police officials said officers noticed things weren't adding up and they were persistent, which led them to a search before locating DJ using the upstairs access panel in the home to get to the attic.
The teen's stepfather, 34-year-old Eric Glen Banks Jr., who police said is a current member of the Baltimore Police Department, was at the scene during the incident. Police said he was acting "combative" and "tried to disarm an officer." During an altercation with police, Banks said, "My life is over" and "choke me, choke me." A police officer called for back up and responding officers arrested Banks.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner performed an autopsy on the teen boy and determined his cause of death was infixation.
Annapolis Police said Banks has been charged with first and second-degree murder of DJ and is under no bond status. Banks is actively suspended without pay, police said. According to our CBS partner in Baltimore, Baltimore Police Commissioner Michael Harrison said Banks’ police powers had already been suspended over a prior incident.
Banks was initially charged with first and second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, disarm a law officer, resist/interfere with arrest, and fail to obey a lawful order following his encounter with police at the home.
Police said DJ had just completed his freshman year at Glen Burnie High School and was a part of the school's biomedical magnet program. They said he was loved by many of his peers and family and was an accomplished violinist.
Baltimore Police Department released the following statement last week:
"The Baltimore Police Department is aware of an ongoing investigation involving one of our members in Anne Arundel County. The member's police powers were previously suspended and now they will be suspended without pay, while this current case is investigated by the Anne Arundel County Police Department."
Homicide detectives at the scene collected evidence, including what appeared to be bloody clothing that was hidden in a dresser drawer. They also interviewed multiple witnesses following the incident.
The investigation remains active and is ongoing.
Anne Arundel County Police is asking anyone with information to come forward by calling the Anne Arundel County Homicide Unit at 410-222-4731. Anyone with information wishing to remain anonymous can also contact the Anne Arundel County Police Tip Line 410-222-4700 or Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7LOCKUP or Download P3Tips APP and Submit Your TIP or submit by web at www.metrocrimestoppers.org