Annapolis, Maryland – This afternoon, in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court, Dylan Blake Chandler, age 27, of Pasadena, pleaded guilty to Second-Degree Murder and Use of a Firearm in a Crime of Violence in the January 2026 workplace shooting of his supervisor, 37-year-old Joseph Keith Aman of Baltimore. The Honorary Judge Cathleen Vitale scheduled sentencing for December 15, 2026.
State's Attorney Anne Colt Leitess commented, "Investigators believe the defendant did not premeditate or plan to commit murder, but rather killed the victim following being reprimanded for workplace conduct. This is a horrible tragedy. My heart goes out to the family of Mr. Aman, who have suffered a devastating loss due to this defendant's irrational actions."
On January 28, 2026, just before 3:30 p.m., officers with the Anne Arundel County Police Department and Maryland Transportation Authority Police (MDTA) responded to the Northrop Grumman facility at 7323 Aviation Boulevard in Linthicum to investigate a fatal shooting. Arriving officers found the victim, 37-year-old Joseph Aman, suffering from a single gunshot wound to the head. Aman was pronounced deceased on the scene. Officers learned that a suspect, Dylan Blake Chandler, had been disarmed and physically restrained by his coworkers.
Investigators learned that the defendant worked for an armed security guard contractor at the Northrop Grumman facility. On the afternoon of January 28, 2026, Chandler was called into a supervisor's office to discuss workplace performance issues. According to a witness inside the room, Aman and Chandler were speaking to each other when the witness heard a loud bang and turned around to see Chandler pointing his handgun at Aman. The witness saw that Aman was suffering from a gunshot wound and disarmed and detained Chandler until law enforcement arrived.
Anne Arundel County Police homicide investigators interviewed Chandler, who admitted to shooting the victim once in the head because he "snapped."
The State was represented by Assistant State's Attorney April Skrenczuk on behalf of the citizens of Anne Arundel County. The investigation was led by the Anne Arundel County Police Homicide Unit.