Cops hunt two men after deadly north bethesda shooting and kidnapping

Cops hunt two men after deadly North Bethesda shooting and kidnapping

Posted by
1 min read
September 30, 2025

GAITHERSBURG, MD – Two men from Silver Spring are being sought in connection with a deadly shooting and kidnapping that unfolded inside a North Bethesda apartment last week, police said.

Detectives named Joshua Carter, 18, and Justin Michael Greene Collins, 25, as suspects in the September 21 killing of 29-year-old Akwalabeng Fontava. Both men are wanted on charges of first-degree murder, armed robbery and kidnapping, according to the Montgomery County Department of Police.

Investigators said Fontava was shot inside an apartment on the 5900 block of Montrose Road. After the gunfire, a man and a woman were abducted and forced into a car. The male victim was later released in Burtonsville. Police tracked the vehicle to Westfield Montgomery mall, where a third suspect, 37-year-old Sheldon Milan Boykins of Hyattsville, was taken into custody with the female victim.

Boykins is being held without bond. Carter and Collins remain at large, and police are asking anyone with information on their whereabouts to contact Crime Solvers of Montgomery County online or at 1-866-411-TIPS. Rewards for information leading to arrests range from $250 to $10,000.

Phil Stilton

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.

Don't Miss