GREENBELT, MD – Thaddeus Lamont Wills, 51, and Keionta Shawn Hagens, 44, both of Waldorf, Maryland, were convicted on Friday, October 25, 2024, for a series of violent crimes including armed robbery, carjacking, and murder. The convictions came after a nine-day federal trial in which a jury found the men guilty of conspiracy, using and brandishing firearms, and the murder of a business owner during their crime spree.
According to the evidence presented, Wills and Hagens, along with other conspirators, carried out a series of armed robberies between November 2020 and January 2021. On November 12, 2020, they robbed a business and carjacked a Dodge Ram pickup truck. Days later, on November 17, 2020, they used a stolen Ford F-150 to rob another business, restraining an employee and seizing cash and merchandise at gunpoint.
The crime spree escalated on January 6, 2021, when Wills and other conspirators carjacked a 2008 Honda Pilot in Waldorf, Maryland. The following day, they crossed state lines into Virginia, where they robbed customers and employees of another business in Woodbridge. After returning to Maryland, the stolen vehicle was burned to destroy evidence.
Tragically, on January 18, 2021, Wills and Hagens robbed a business owner at gunpoint, stealing merchandise and fatally shooting the victim. They then carjacked a 2019 Lexus RX350 to escape.
Wills faces a potential life sentence for the murder, as well as multiple sentences for armed robbery, carjacking, and firearm offenses. Hagens also faces a substantial prison term, including a mandatory minimum of five years and up to life in federal prison for his involvement. The convictions were announced by U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron and law enforcement agencies from Maryland and Virginia who coordinated the investigation.
