A Maryland couple was allegedly murdered in their home by a business associate enraged over money, with one of the victims heard pleading for her life in a chilling 911 call.
William “Charlie” Hayes, 56, and his wife, Jeanna Hayes, 54, were found shot inside their Pasadena home in the Long Point community — about 15 miles outside Baltimore — on Sunday around 2 p.m., according to the Anne Arundel County Police Department.
In the moments leading up to the killing, a 911 call from the couple’s home revealed the woman pleading with a man she identified as “Tony” not to shoot her.
A short time later, the call captures the man quarreling with “Charlie” about money before gunshots erupt, CBS News reported. Additional shots rang out before everything suddenly fell quiet.
The couple — who owned a home improvement construction business based out of their house — were pronounced dead at the scene when first responders arrived.
Through the 911 call and “additional investigative means,” detectives quickly identified Anthony Louis Reyes, 61, a business associate and friend of the couple, as the suspect, police said.
Reyes’ vehicle was picked up by an automated license plate reader hours after the cold-blooded murders, and an officer pulled him over.
However, the 61-year-old suspect allegedly fled, triggering a dramatic police chase.
Anne Arundel County Police Lt. AJ Gardiner told CBS News that during the initial traffic stop, Reyes got into a short struggle with an officer, resulting in minor injuries.
Officers eventually made Reyes pull over after about a seven-minute chase and swiftly arrested him.
Reyes has been charged with first- and second-degree murder and related offenses, police said.
The alleged killer is currently being held without bond.
The officer injured during the first traffic stop was taken to a local hospital to be evaluated and later released.
Gardiner said the couple’s deaths appear to be a targeted attack, though investigators have not released information about a potential motive.
“This was a person who was known to the family, both personally and in business,” Lt. Gardiner said. “I don’t know of any issues.”
Gardiner noted that the 911 call could play a vital role in understanding the details of the tragic shooting.
“It’s unfortunate we weren’t here in time to prevent it, but the information that was relayed really led us to a position where we could start isolating other things,” he said.
Authorities also revealed that the couple’s adult granddaughter lived with them but wasn’t home during the shooting.
Toni Arnold, the father of the granddaughter, told CBS News the killings have left their family shaken.
“I just can’t believe somebody viciously murdered them in broad daylight,” Arnold said. “He didn’t deserve that. He took care of his wife; he took care of my daughter. It just breaks my heart.”
Kathy Nguyen, a nearby resident, said she heard the shots from her house just down the road.
“I heard a couple of pop noises. I heard, ‘pop, pop,’” Nguyen recalled, adding that she initially thought it was hunters in the nearby woods before realizing something was wrong.
“Lights and sirens, and then they started running toward the house with rifles, and I thought whatever is going on is not good,” Nguyen said. “And then when I heard about what happened, it shook me to my core.”
Anne Arundel County Police Chief Amal Awad said the double murder has rocked the “very close-knit community.”
“It’s just terribly horrific, especially right before the holiday season,” Awad told the outlet. “This is a very close-knit community. You can see it by how they have already started decorating for the holidays.”
Awad described Long Point as a quiet, low-crime community filled with waterfront homes, family houses, and cottages.
“We are very surprised to get a call like this here,” Awad said. “We know we have family members who are grieving tonight, and this entire community is grieving, and they are going to have to journey forward trying to make sense of what happened.”
