https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/fells-point-candlelight-vigil-couple-robbed-and-assaulted/

76-year-old woman dies after Fells Point robbery, Baltimore suspect arrested for homicide

Claudia Bismark, 76, died after she and a 60-year-old man were assaulted and robbed Tuesday morning in Baltimore's Fells Point neighborhood.

Police announced Thursday they arrested 32-year-old Montray McCray for the crime and upgraded the initial charges to include homicide.

"She never did wake up," said Tammy Lang, one of Bismark's friends. "She hit the ground, and she didn't wake up, but she grabbed Wade's hand. She just never woke up from it."

Police said the couple had just eaten breakfast and were walking through the neighborhood when they were assaulted and robbed around 9:30 a.m. in the 1700 block of Fleet Street.

Both victims were knocked to the ground by the suspect, who then fled with a wallet, according to police.

Bismark was taken to a hospital in critical condition and later died from her injuries, police said. The man remains stable and is recovering from his injuries.

WJZ Investigates has learned McCray has an arrest history that dates back more than a decade and includes past gun and drug charges.

Police tracked him down and arrested him on South Carrollton Avenue.

He is charged with assault, robbery, reckless endangerment and homicide.

Police said McCray stole one of the victim's wallets and knocked them down, sending them both to the hospital.

The attack happened around 9:30 Tuesday morning. The couple had just finished eating breakfast at Vikki's Fells Point Deli, witnesses said, and were attacked and robbed as they walked near Fleet and Regester Streets.

Friends of the couple told WJZ Investigates they are heartbroken.

"It ain't gonna bring Claudia back," Vikki's waitress Tammy Lang told WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren of the arrest. "She was such a sweetheart. She would do anything for anybody. She's an artist—a very good artist. It's sad. The world's going to miss her."

Lang waited on the couple Tuesday morning at Broadway Market just before the attack —as the suspect, unbeknownst to her —allegedly stalked them.

"We see him walking by checking them out. He went down and sat down at the table, and then as soon as they left, he left, but we didn't know it at the time," Lang said. "I've waited on them for years. I was sick all day. I'm telling you I'll never be the same."

Surveillance video WJZ Investigates obtained shows the suspect leaving the scene on Regester Street.

McCray was taken to Baltimore's Central Booking for processing.

Little and Lang remembers the victims' generosity, often paying for customers' breakfasts.

"All the time they'd say, 'Breakfast is on me. Don't ring them up. I got the breakfast.' Even around COVID times they were excellent. They paid for so many people's meals," Lang said.

Little remembered, "They are one. You see one, you see the other. They are the most loving, caring, nurturing people. I recently went through some hard times losing someone, and let me tell you, they stood up for me. They stood up! They were so supportive. It really breaks my heart that this happened to them. It was just a mean person doing mean things to nice people."

No legal representation for McCray was immediately able to comment on the case.

Fells Point neighbors urged to be vigilant

Speaking about the attack, Fells Point resident Rolf Taylor said, "It's jarring because it's crazy here on the weekends. I don't go out after 10 p.m. But this was first thing this morning, so that is a little scary and I think a bit unusual. Usually when there's trouble here, it's late at night."

Taylor said the robbery happened about 50 yards from his Fells Point home. He said during the eight years he has lived on the block, he has not seen or heard about violent crime in the area.

"I'm really amazed because despite the reputation, in all the eight years I've been living here on this block, I have not seen crime," Taylor said. "I have not seen anything that I would really consider dangerous."

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5908664&forum_id=2#50165778)