Missing Maryland Teacher Was Dismembered in Random Attack on Her Daily Walk, Police Say

A beloved Maryland teacher who went missing and was later found dead in July was dismembered after she was attacked on her daily walk, and police are saying the alleged killer picked her at random.

The Messenger previously reported that Mariame Sylla, a 59-year-old educator in Greenbelt, Maryland, disappeared on July 29 while out on her daily walk around the neighborhood. Her sudden disappearance prompted a frantic search, and friends and family members said it was out of character for Sylla to just vanish without a word. Officials initially classified her disappearance as a missing persons case. 

Prosecutors in court testimony on Wednesday accused Harold Landon III, 33, of attacking Sylla while she was on her daily walk that day, Fox 5 DC reported.

In a press release from earlier this month, the Prince George’s County Police Department said Landon was charged with first-degree murder in relation to Sylla’s death. DNA testing confirmed that human remains uncovered during the police search belonged to Sylla. 

Prosecutors said in court that investigators found her torso in a pond days after she disappeared.

"This is a case of horrific facts," the judge said during Landon's court appearance, according to Fox 5 DC. 

There is no known connection between Landon and Sylla, the police said. The motive for the murder remains under investigation. 

“Ms. Sylla was a beloved teacher and member of the Greenbelt community,” Prince George’s County Police Chief Malik Aziz said. “Her murder is tragic. We hope the arrest of Landon provides some comfort to her family and all who knew and loved her.”

In court, prosecutors pointed out that Landon has a history of violence against women. He was already in custody for allegedly violating a restraining order filed against him by his ex-girlfriend. 

"Mr. Landon has a history of abusing women," Prince George's County State's Attorney Aisha Braveboy said, local CBS affiliate WUSA reported. "In 2019, he had a previous conviction for assaulting a woman in North Carolina. And in that case, there were allegations of strangulation."

Landon is being held without bail and is scheduled to return to court next month for a preliminary hearing on the first-degree murder charge.