Crime

Woman Convicted on Murder Charge for Death of 17-Year-Old Brother

According to the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s office, “Today in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, MD, before the Honorable John Maloney, a jury found defendant, Leaundra Matthews, 25, of Accokeek, guilty of second-degree murder for the death of Christian Matthews, her 17-year-old brother. Christian Matthews was fatally strangled during an attack by the defendant’s boyfriend and another co-defendant while he was asleep inside the family’s Silver Spring home in the early morning hours of March 21, 2017.

Leaundra Matthews faces up to 30 years in prison. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 19, 2024 at 2 p.m. In January of 2019, a jury convicted Leaundra’s boyfriend, 26-year-old Tysean Lipford, on a charge of second-degree murder for the death of Christian Matthews. He was sentenced in June of 2019 to 30 years in prison and is currently serving that sentence. Daniel Howard is the other codefendant facing murder charges. His trial is scheduled for April 2024. In addition, Leaundra’s twin sister, Lemae Matthews, pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact to murder in October of 2021 and will be sentenced following the conclusion of Howard’s April 2024 trial.”

 

Leaundra Matthews

Christian Matthews