Baltimore County hostage situation sparks possible confession to several murders

Vincent Hill

WBFF FOX45

January 24, 2024

A barricaded hostage situation in Baltimore County from over the weekend is giving a renewed look to some Baltimore County murders.

31-year-old Antonio Hart live streamed the entire incident on Instagram, while holding four people hostage.

During the stream, Hart confessed to killing 16-year-old Dequan Burks on Halloween night of 2010.

Sterlin Matthews, 17 years old at the time, was convicted of that murder and received a 115-year prison sentence.

Hart also confessed to shooting and killing 18-year-old Tyran Desean Smoot in 2011.

That murder remains unsolved.

FOX45 spoke with Baltimore County Police about Hart’s confessions.

“Our homicide detectives our currently investigating the comments that were made by the individual during the standoff.”

Attorney Florinia Altshiler says the confessions could mean one of two things.

“When people are either looking to kill themselves or also have nothing to lose, there’s also no reason for them to keep the crimes that they did in fact commit a secret anymore,” said Altshiler.

Altshiler told FOX45 that this could lead to a new look at the Burks murder that Sterlin Matthews is serving time for.

“What his defense attorneys could potentially do is file an appeal sighting new evidence and argue that this video confession is evidence that was not previously available,” said Altshiler.