Summary
Fifty-year-old Sheryl Crandell, a patient care coordinator at Prince George’s Hospital Center in Cheverly, Maryland, was found unresponsive inside her fourth-floor office around 8:30pm on January 13, 1998, by a maintenance worker who had stopped by after hours. The Prince George’s County Police Department responded immediately and began collecting evidence and interviewing staff. An autopsy revealed that Crandell had been sexually assaulted and strangled. Despite an extensive investigation, including the recovery of a male DNA profile from the scene, no suspect was identified and the case eventually went cold.
More than two decades later, detectives from the Prince George’s County Police Cold Case Unit revisited the evidence with the hope that advances in DNA technology could finally provide answers. The FBI’s Forensic Genetic Genealogy team assisted in generating new investigative leads. To rapidly validate a key familial link and expedite the genealogical investigation, investigators used Othram’s KinSNP® Rapid Relationship Testing, which allows secure, private, and rapid pairwise DNA comparisons between crime-scene evidence and potential relatives.
The testing confirmed a key genetic relationship that ultimately led investigators to identify the suspect as Baari Shabazz, formerly known as Edward Barry Watts, who lived less than a mile from the hospital at the time of the murder. Shabazz died in 2019 at the age of 69, preventing any criminal prosecution, but his identification finally provides long-awaited answers for Crandell’s family and the detectives who never gave up on the case.
Although investigators believe Shabazz may have entered the hospital intending to steal something, the motive for the assault and murder remains unclear.
If anyone has information relevant to the investigation and would like to speak to a detective, they are asked to call 301-516-2512, contact Crime Solvers online at www.pgcrimesolvers.com or call 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).
This case is a powerful reminder that time and persistence, combined with advances in forensic DNA testing and forensic genetic genealogy, can bring long-awaited answers even decades after a crime. If you would like to support efforts to solve more cases like this, consider contributing your DNA profile to the DNASolves database, which aids law enforcement in identifying suspects and giving families the answers they deserve.
The identification of Baari Shabazz represents the seventh publicly announced case in Maryland in which officials have used technology developed by Othram. Visit DNASolves Maryland cases to learn more about other investigations and how you can help bring justice and answers to families still waiting.
Dan Miller
Director of Customer Service
Dan guides law enforcement agencies across the United States and internationally through every step of the forensic process—from crime scene to courtroom. He ensures investigators have the support and resources they need to navigate advanced DNA testing and maximize the impact of forensic evidence in their cases.