Man charged with murder in shooting outside Pikesville hotel

Police say suspect, victim, 24, were acquaintances, argued before incident

A 24-year-old man has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of a man Friday night outside a Pikesville hotel, according to Baltimore County police.

Ricardo Anthony Beckford is accused of shooting Richard Francis, 31, in the parking lot of a Ramada Inn in the 1700 block of Reisterstown Road. Police said the two were acquaintances who had an argument, after which Francis left the hotel and got into his vehicle parked outside the lobby. Beckford then pulled his vehicle alongside the victim's and fired a handgun, according to police.

Officers called about 11:15 p.m. Friday to the scene found Francis suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was taken to Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said.

Beckford was being held without bail at the Baltimore County Detention Center.

Investigators had yet to determine what led to the argument between Beckford and Francis, said police spokeswoman Detective Cathy Batton.

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