Suspect In Homicide Case Arrested Months After Cutting Off Ankle Monitor And Fleeing

CAPITOL HEIGHTS, MD — A Virginia woman charged in the murder of a Capitol Heights woman in 2024 has been tracked down and arrested after she removed her ankle monitor in April 2025 while on house arrest and fled.

On April 20, suspect Erica Terry became eligible for the Electronic Home Monitoring Program while awaiting trial on a second-degree murder charge, the Prince George's County Sheriff's Office stated. The next day, the monitoring company reported a strap-tamper alert from her device. Law enforcement tried to reach Terry several times, authorities said, but did not make contact, so an additional warrant was issued for second-degree escape, the sheriff's office said.

On Dec. 2, the Prince George’s County Sheriff’s Office arrested Terry on an open warrant related to an ongoing homicide investigation. Terry was taken into custody and faces charges of second-degree murder and second-degree escape.

On Dec. 12, 2024, around 11 p.m., Prince George's police officers were called to a home in the 6400 block of Cabin Branch Court for a report of a fight. When they arrived, they found 54-year-old Connie Burns suffering from trauma. She was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police. Terry, then 35, of Shipman, Virginia, was arrested at the scene and was charged with second-degree murder and related charges. Police said Terry and Burns knew each other and had argued before the fatal fight, Patch previously reported.

Police said at the time of her arrest that Terry was the suspect in the death of the mother of her boyfriend's young son. Terry told police Burns came to the home looking for her 9-year-old son and confronted Terry's boyfriend, the boy's father, charging documents stated. The boy was at the home at the time of the incident, court documents disclosed. Terry's boyfriend told police he and Burns argued over his new relationship with Terry, charging documents disclosed.

Terry came down to the basement and got into a fight with Burns, according to the documents. Terry hit Burns' head, knocking her to the ground, the boyfriend told police. Terry told police she repeatedly punched Burns in the head and kicked her knees, charging documents say. At some point, her boyfriend got in between the women and told Terry to go upstairs and call 911. He told police he wound up calling 911 with his cellphone while trying to give first aid to his ex, charging documents stated.