Authorities in Maryland are still searching for answers in the murder of Mariame Toure Sylla, a beloved elementary school teacher. Sylla, 59, disappeared on July 29 during her routine evening walk near her Greenbelt condo. Harold Francis Landon III, 33, has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with her death.
During a news conference, Prince George’s County Police Chief Malik Aziz confirmed that partial remains found near Joint Base Andrews on August 1 belonged to Sylla. The body was unclothed and missing a head, arms, and lower legs.
A witness reported seeing a man throwing something into a pond near where Sylla’s remains were found. Surveillance footage showed a white truck, identified as Landon’s 2004 white Chevrolet Silverado, in the area at the time. Phone records also placed Landon in the vicinity.
Landon was already in jail on unrelated domestic violence charges when murder charges were filed against him. Police found a power saw at his home that matched the wounds on Sylla’s body.
Authorities have not determined a motive for the killing, and there is no evidence to suggest that Landon and Sylla knew each other. The investigation is ongoing.
Sylla’s funeral is scheduled for Friday at the Diyanet Center of America Mosque in Landham. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has condemned the killing and offered condolences to Sylla’s family.
Author: Ryan Scott
Just a guy
