PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. — Brandon Ross Holbrook, 49, of Reedsville, Pennsylvania, is scheduled to be sentenced on Friday, July 18, 2025, at 1 p.m. in Calvert County Circuit Court. Holbrook was convicted earlier this spring in the grisly murder and dismemberment of renowned Washington, D.C., photographer Joseph Shymanski, whose remains were found burned and scattered near Holbrook’s Pennsylvania home.
A Calvert County jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict on April 9, 2025, after an emotionally charged trial that spanned 10 days and captivated regional media. Holbrook was found guilty on all counts, including first-degree murder, use of a firearm in a violent crime, and tampering with evidence. The case was prosecuted by State’s Attorneys Benjamin G. Lerner and Christopher J. Monte before Judge Mark S. Chandlee.
According to court testimony, Holbrook drove to Shymanski’s Huntingtown residence on Sept. 3, 2023, where prosecutors argued he fatally shot the victim during a confrontation. Surveillance footage, forensic evidence and witness statements placed Holbrook near both the crime scene in Maryland and the eventual disposal site in Pennsylvania.
Investigators testified that Holbrook transported Shymanski’s body back to Reedsville, where he attempted to cover up the killing by burning and dismembering the remains. Human bones and blood-soaked evidence were later recovered in a wooded area near his property. Surveillance footage and receipts showed Holbrook purchasing cleaning supplies and materials used to conceal the crime.
Despite defense attorney Thomas C. Mooney’s assertions that the evidence was circumstantial and that other individuals, including Shymanski’s ex-wife, may have been involved, the jury was unconvinced. The prosecution leaned heavily on expert testimony from forensic archaeologist Dr. Dirkmaat, who confirmed the nature and consistency of the victim’s wounds, as well as timeline reconstruction placing Holbrook at the scene.
Sentencing will be held in Courtroom 1 at the Calvert County Circuit Courthouse. Holbrook faces life in prison without the possibility of parole. Cameras will not be permitted inside the courtroom, but members of the public and press are expected to attend. Those close to the victim have vowed to continue seeking “Justice for Joe” as the case reaches its final chapter.
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