64-year-old admits guilt in deadly Johnston Square Apartments shooting as Baltimore court case concludes
Guilty plea entered in lobby shooting that killed 33-year-old Paul Lee
A 64-year-old defendant has pleaded guilty in connection with the fatal shooting of Paul Lee at the Johnston Square Apartments, a more-than-200-unit affordable-housing building on East Preston Street in Baltimore. The case stemmed from a shooting that occurred on the morning of Nov. 13, 2024, when Lee, 33, was confronted and shot in the building’s lobby and later died after being transported to a hospital.
Lee’s death prompted an investigation focused on events inside the apartment building, where residents described hearing gunfire and moving to get neighbors to safety as police arrived. In the hours and days after the shooting, police said the shooter fled on foot, and investigators sought public assistance for information.
What is known about the incident and the charges
Court reporting on the case has described investigators’ reliance on surveillance evidence from inside the building and accounts indicating a verbal altercation occurred in the lobby before shots were fired. The defendant, Tyrone Kirby Epps, was charged with first-degree murder and multiple firearm-related offenses, including allegations involving illegal handgun possession and firearm possession by a person with a disqualifying conviction.
The case also involved litigation over the defendant’s mental competence and criminal responsibility. In October 2025, a Baltimore Circuit Court judge found Epps competent to stand trial following review of medical reports. Defense filings and courtroom statements indicated the defendant’s mental state was expected to be a central issue in any trial proceedings.
How the case progressed through the courts
The prosecution initially prepared the case for a jury trial, but scheduling shifted more than once as the defense pursued additional psychological evaluation and related review. In early March 2026, the matter was again delayed after the defense requested more time to complete a mental-health evaluation, and the court set further proceedings for March 20, 2026.
The guilty plea by the 64-year-old defendant ends the case short of a trial and moves the matter into the sentencing phase, where the court will weigh the admitted offense, applicable Maryland sentencing law, and any arguments presented by the parties.
Johnston Square Apartments and the wider public-safety context
The Johnston Square Apartments building has long served older adults and tenants with disabilities and has been part of Baltimore’s affordable-housing stock for decades. The lobby shooting drew renewed attention to public-safety concerns inside and around large residential buildings where residents may have limited ability to avoid confrontations or quickly leave the scene of violence.
Date and location: Nov. 13, 2024, in the lobby of a residential building on the 500 block of East Preston Street.
Victim: Paul Lee, 33, who died after being shot.
Case status: The 64-year-old defendant has pleaded guilty; sentencing proceedings follow a plea.
Residents and family members described Lee as a quiet neighbor and a devoted parent in the days after the shooting, as investigators continued to seek information about what happened inside the building.