LA PLATA, Md. — Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County, announced that on Friday, June 27, 2025, Charles County Circuit Court Judge William R. Greer, Jr. sentenced Ricardo Kevon Colbert-Lyles, 24, of Waldorf, to 25 years in prison for Conspiracy to Commit the First-Degree Murder of Aden Christopher Garcia.
Upon release, Colbert-Lyles will be on probation for a period of five years. If he violates the terms of his probation, he faces Life in prison.
On May 16, 2025, Colbert-Lyles entered a guilty plea to the above-mentioned charge.
On October 23, 2022, the Prince George’s County 911 call center received a call from an individual stating that someone shot his friend in a Waldorf neighborhood. The individual also said that he was en route to Southern Maryland Hospital Center to get his friend treatment. The individual was advised to stop in the area, where he was met by officers and Emergency Medical Services. The injured individual, identified as Aden Christopher Garcia, was treated at the location and transported to the hospital. However, he, unfortunately, succumbed to his injuries the following day.
An investigation revealed that before the shooting, Colbert-Lyles, co-defendant Dalvin Devonte Risi, and another suspect met with the victim at Risi’s vehicle for a scheduled drug transaction in Waldorf. However, the transaction did not occur. The victim left the area of the vehicle and walked back to his neighborhood. Colbert-Lyles and the other suspect instructed Risi, who was driving a black Nissan Versa, to drive to the victim’s neighborhood. When they arrived in the neighborhood, the suspect exited the vehicle, ran toward the victim, who was seated in another vehicle, and then shot at him multiple times, striking him once in the head. After the shooting, the suspect returned to the Nissan Versa, where he fled with Colbert-Lyles and Risi after Colbert-Lyles directed Risi to pick the suspect up.
Surveillance video captured the incident and the Nissan Versa. Risi was identified as the primary operator of the vehicle.
A further investigation revealed that prior to the shooting, Colbert-Lyles requested Risi to pick him up as well as the other suspect, whom Risi was unacquainted with, and drive them to the victim for the transaction. As the shooting occurred, Risi attempted to flee the area but was instructed by Colbert-Lyles to remain for the shooter.
At sentencing, Assistant State’s Attorney Jonathan Beattie requested that the Judge give Colbert-Lyles 25 years in prison, stating “Without Colbert-Lyles, none of this happens. Without Colbert-Lyles, there’s no [shooter].”
