Fiancé Arrested In Woman's Fatal Stabbing In Her Apartment

ELLICOTT CITY, MD — The fiancé of an Ellicott City woman found stabbed to death in her apartment has been charged in connection to her death.

At approximately 3:06 p.m. Sept. 18, Howard County police officers were called to an apartment located in the 3100 block of West Springs Drive for a report of a woman with stab wounds. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Police officers reported no sign of forced entry into the apartment and detectives believe the victim, identified as Shelaya Broadwater, 44, was targeted, the police department originally stated.

Charging documents stated that the 911 caller said their mother was in the bathroom of their apartment with multiple stab wounds. Police later learned that earlier that day, Rondale Dickerson, 34, of Mappsville, Virginia, was pounding on the door to the apartment and was angry. The caller told police they left the apartment and when they returned, they found their mother dead, charging documents stated.

Later that day around 6 p.m., Howard County police officers were called to the Walmart on North Ridge Road in Ellicott City for a welfare check. The man they spoke with at the store, later identified as Dickerson, was escorted out of Walmart by security due to "something not being right," charging documents disclosed. It was reported that Dickerson was not wearing a shirt and had cuts all over his arms and hands, WMARreported.

Dickerson was treated at a hospital for cuts and was taken into custody after being released. Despite Dickerson initially denying being at Broadwater's apartment on Thursday, he ended up confessing to the killing when pressed about inconsistencies in his statements. Dickerson has been charged with first- and second-degree murder, assault and home invasion in the fatal stabbing of Broadwater in her apartment. Detectives learned that Dickerson and Broadwater had gotten engaged a week prior to the fatal stabbing. The motive remains unknown and the investigation is ongoing, police disclosed.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call police at 410-313-STOP or email HCPDCrimeTips@howardcountymd.gov.