Lead
Dayton Webber, a 27-year-old professional cornhole player and quadruple amputee, was arrested in Virginia following an alleged shooting that killed 27-year-old Bradrick Michael Wells in La Plata, Maryland. Authorities say the confrontation occurred on Sunday and that Wells was found dead about two hours later in Charlotte Hall, roughly 14 miles from La Plata. Law enforcement located Webber’s vehicle more than 100 miles away in Charlottesville and took him into custody at a local hospital while he sought treatment. He faces charges including first- and second-degree murder and is awaiting extradition to Maryland.
Key Takeaways
- The alleged victim is Bradrick Michael Wells, 27; he was found dead in a yard in Charlotte Hall, Md., several hours after an argument in La Plata, Md.
- Dayton Webber, 27, was arrested in Charlottesville, Va., after investigators traced a vehicle believed to be his more than 100 miles from the La Plata scene.
- Passengers in the car reported seeing Webber shoot the victim and were asked to help move the body; they declined and later left the scene, according to the sheriff’s press release.
- Webber was booked into the Albemarle–Charlottesville Regional Jail on Monday and faces first-degree murder, second-degree murder and related charges in Maryland.
- The American Cornhole League confirmed Webber has not competed since late 2024 and issued a brief statement acknowledging the allegations without commenting further.
- Investigators asked the public to submit tips as detectives continue to gather evidence and reconstruct the timeline of events.
Background
Webber, who became a four-limb amputee after a severe Streptococcus pneumoniae infection as an infant, rose to national attention for his participation in sports and adaptive achievements. ESPN profiled him as a youth wrestler in 2010, and he later chronicled his activities—learning to write, hunt, fish and drive modified go-karts—in national outlets. He began playing cornhole recreationally before advancing to competition; he was crowned Maryland’s top cornhole player in 2020 and joined the professional circuit in the 2021–2022 season.
The American Cornhole League (ACL), founded in 2015 and televised on networks including ESPN and CBS Sports, acknowledged Webber’s historical significance as the league’s first known quadruple-amputee pro. The ACL told reporters he has not been active in league events since late 2024 and declined to comment on ongoing legal matters. Local law enforcement agencies in Charles County, Md., and Albemarle County, Va., are the lead investigative bodies in this cross-jurisdictional case.
Main Event
Charles County authorities say an argument in the front seat of a car in La Plata escalated on Sunday, and that witnesses in the backseat observed the shooting. According to the sheriff’s office press release, the driver then pulled over and asked the backseat passengers to help remove the victim; they refused and left, after which the vehicle departed with the victim inside. Nearly two hours later a Charlotte Hall resident reported a body in a yard; responders identified the decedent as Bradrick Michael Wells and pronounced him dead at the scene.
Detectives located Webber’s vehicle more than 100 miles from the La Plata area, in Charlottesville, Va., with assistance from Albemarle County police. Surveillance footage and an officer’s sighting guided investigators to the vehicle, and a warrant for Webber’s arrest was issued. Law enforcement later arrested Webber at a Charlottesville-area hospital while he was seeking medical treatment; he was booked in the regional jail as a fugitive from justice.
Public records show Webber was booked on Monday and faces homicide-related charges filed in Maryland. Albemarle–Charlottesville jail officials said the court did not address extradition at a Tuesday hearing; Webber’s next scheduled court date is set for sometime in April, though attorneys can request earlier proceedings. The Charles County State’s Attorney’s Office declined to comment while detectives continue to investigate and collect evidence.
Analysis & Implications
The case poses logistical and legal complexities because events, witnesses and evidence span multiple jurisdictions across Maryland and Virginia. Investigators must coordinate evidence transfer and extradition paperwork while preserving chain-of-custody for any physical items recovered. That coordination can slow proceedings but is standard when alleged crimes and subsequent movements cross state lines.
Public reaction is likely to be shaped both by the gravity of the homicide charges and by Webber’s public profile as an adaptive-athlete figure. High-profile defendants can attract wider media attention, which may complicate jury selection and pretrial publicity. Maryland prosecutors must weigh what charges to pursue—first-degree murder signals an assertion of premeditation, while second-degree charges can reflect an alternative theory should the evidence support a lesser intent.
The involvement of passengers who reported seeing the shooting adds evidentiary importance to witness testimony and timeline reconstruction. Prosecutors will aim to corroborate their accounts with physical evidence, surveillance, cell-location data and forensics from the vehicle. Defense counsel may scrutinize the consistency of those statements and any gaps in forensic linkage between Webber and the fatal injury.
Comparison & Data
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Victim | Bradrick Michael Wells, 27 |
| Suspect | Dayton Webber, 27 (quadruple amputee; cornhole pro) |
| Initial incident | Argument and shooting in La Plata, MD (Sunday) |
| Body found | Charlotte Hall, MD (~14 miles from La Plata; ~2 hours later) |
| Vehicle located | Charlottesville, VA (>100 miles from La Plata) |
| Charges | First-degree murder, second-degree murder, related counts (Maryland) |
The table summarizes the known timeline and locations as disclosed by law enforcement. Distances and timing reported by the sheriff’s office and local police underline the multi-jurisdictional nature of the response. These movements will factor into investigative lines—travel durations, surveillance coverage, and custody transfer procedures between Virginia and Maryland authorities. For forensic teams, recovering and analyzing the vehicle and any clothing or ballistic evidence will be priorities to link the physical record to witness accounts.
Reactions & Quotes
Officials from the Charles County Sheriff’s Office released details about the sequence of events and appealed for public assistance while the investigation continues. Law enforcement framed the arrest as the result of interagency cooperation and asked anyone with information to contact investigators.
“Passengers reported seeing the suspect shoot the victim and were asked to help pull the victim out of the car,”
Charles County Sheriff’s Office (press release)
Local Virginia police described how their officers aided Maryland detectives by identifying the vehicle and providing surveillance that led investigators to Webber. Agencies emphasized routine cross-jurisdictional support in locating vehicles and suspects.
“An Albemarle officer located the vehicle at a gas station and surveillance helped track the suspect,”
Albemarle County Police Department (official statement)
The American Cornhole League issued a brief statement noting Webber’s past participation and confirming he had not been active in league competition since late 2024. The league expressed sympathy for those affected while declining further comment pending legal proceedings.
“This is an extremely serious matter and our thoughts are with all those impacted,”
American Cornhole League (organization statement)
Unconfirmed
- Motivation for the argument and alleged shooting has not been publicly established by investigators.
- Details on whether a firearm or other weapon was recovered and the forensic linkage to Webber have not been disclosed.
- Specific identities and statements of backseat passengers have not been made public beyond the summary in the sheriff’s release.
Bottom Line
The arrest of Dayton Webber brings a high-profile figure into a serious homicide investigation that spans Maryland and Virginia. Authorities allege eyewitness accounts tied Webber to the shooting and describe a sequence of events that included the vehicle traveling more than 100 miles from the initial scene; those claims remain subject to evidentiary testing in court. Prosecutors in Maryland have filed first- and second-degree murder counts and will need to present a case that connects witness testimony, forensic evidence and any surveillance to prove elements such as intent or premeditation.
For readers, the case highlights how criminal investigations unfold across borders and the importance of corroborating multiple evidence streams before drawing conclusions. Expect further public updates as detectives release more information, as court proceedings address extradition and charges, and as both prosecution and defense develop their accounts in the coming weeks.
Sources
- NPR (news report)
- Charles County Sheriff’s Office (official press release)
- Albemarle County Police Department (official statement)
- American Cornhole League (organization statement)
- ESPN (archival profile and video)
- Today (first-person profile)