Haarhoff

A familiar lament among boxing fans is the relative absence of exciting, young fighters, resulting in the likes of former champions George Foreman, Larry Holmes and Roberto Duran still being showcased.Dwindling neighborhood gyms coupled with the reluctance of promoters to stage small club shows has restricted the flow of new ring talent. But there are always exceptions, and three examples from the Baltimore area will be on display in preliminary bouts on tomorrow night's fight card at Martin's West featuring cruiserweights Jason Waller and Vincent Boulware.

Baltimore County police said yesterday that homicide detectives are investigating the death of a man whose body was found in a 2002 fire, launching a fresh inquiry into the case after the recent sentencing of the man's widow in the killing of her boyfriend more than three years later. Clarence "Buddy" Downs III's body was found in a house fire that was ruled to have been accidentally caused by careless smoking, but investigators said there was revived interest in the case after the body of a boyfriend of con artist Cynthia J. McKay was found on fire in February 2006 in Anne Arundel County.

The 20-year-old son of a brazen con artist who has been convicted of killing her boyfriend and then setting his body on fire is scheduled to plead guilty later this month for his role in that crime, according to court records. Matthew Haarhoff is charged with first-degree murder in the February 2006 death of Tony Fertitta, whose body was found burning in the Old Mill community of Anne Arundel County. A family member said yesterday that Haarhoff was expected to plead to a lesser charge, but his attorney and prosecutors declined to discuss the details of the plea.

Matthew Haarhoff left jail in Anne Arundel County and headed straight for a playground in Dundalk, where he executed a perfect back-flip dismount from a swing and chased his 10-year-old nephew around the jungle gym. A 20-year-old who grew up in foster homes and institutions, he was free to act like a child after more than two years in an adult hell as prosecutors tried to figure out who stabbed his mother's boyfriend to death: Haarhoff, his brother or...

Matthew Haarhoff left jail in Anne Arundel County and headed straight for a playground in Dundalk, where he executed a perfect back-flip dismount from a swing and chased his 10-year-old nephew around the jungle gym. A 20-year-old who grew up in foster homes and institutions, he was free to act like a child after more than two years in an adult hell as prosecutors tried to figure out who stabbed his mother's boyfriend to death: Haarhoff, his brother or...

The 20-year-old son of a career thief who received 30 years in prison Tuesday in the stabbing death of her boyfriend entered a guilty plea yesterday to a charge that he helped dispose of the body. Matthew Haarhoff was released from jail after more than two years awaiting trial. But Anne Arundel County Circuit Judge Pamela L. North tacked on one condition to the plea agreement that led to his release: Haarhoff can have no contact with his mother, Cynthia J. McKay, for one year. "You need a recess from her," North said.

A 52-year-old career thief and mother of six was convicted yesterday of secretly stealing thousands of dollars from her boyfriend and stabbing him to death before his body was found burning along an Anne Arundel County road. Two weeks before her trial was to begin, Cynthia J. McKay entered a guilty plea to charges of second-degree murder and felony theft, ducking a possible life sentence in a crime that ensnared two of her sons. She now faces a maximum penalty of 30 years. Prosecutors and defense attorneys involved in the case said piecing together not just the death of Anthony Fertitta, whose body was found ablaze not far from McKay's Millersville townhouse in February 2006, but McKay's past made the case one of the most complicated they had ever handled.

A Baltimore County man was sentenced yesterday to five years in prison for helping to dispose of the body of his mother's boyfriend in a killing that prosecutors say was carried out by three members of a troubled family. Anne Arundel County prosecutors said Christopher James Haarhoff, 21, who was initially charged with first-degree murder in the February 2006 death of Anthony Fertitta, helped his mother, Cynthia J. McKay, drag Fertitta's body out of her Millersville house, through a back door and onto the sidewalk of her community, where it was doused with gasoline and set afire.

The 17-year-old Millersville boy accused of killing his mother's boyfriend and setting the body on fire was ordered held without bail at a hearing yesterday in Anne Arundel County District Court. Matthew Joseph Haarhoff, 17, of Millersville was arrested at a Salisbury hotel Thursday afternoon and charged with first-degree murder, police said. He is being held in the county detention center. Haarhoff's mother, Cynthia Jean McKay, 49, is also being held without bond in the same detention center on charges relating to the killing.

Baltimore County police said yesterday that homicide detectives are investigating the death of a man whose body was found in a 2002 fire, launching a fresh inquiry into the case after the recent sentencing of the man's widow in the killing of her boyfriend more than three years later. Clarence "Buddy" Downs III's body was found in a house fire that was ruled to have been accidentally caused by careless smoking, but investigators said there was revived interest in the case after the body of a boyfriend of con artist Cynthia J. McKay was found on fire in February 2006 in Anne Arundel County.

The 20-year-old son of a career thief who received 30 years in prison Tuesday in the stabbing death of her boyfriend entered a guilty plea yesterday to a charge that he helped dispose of the body. Matthew Haarhoff was released from jail after more than two years awaiting trial. But Anne Arundel County Circuit Judge Pamela L. North tacked on one condition to the plea agreement that led to his release: Haarhoff can have no contact with his mother, Cynthia J. McKay, for one year. "You need a recess from her," North said.

The 20-year-old son of a brazen con artist who has been convicted of killing her boyfriend and then setting his body on fire is scheduled to plead guilty later this month for his role in that crime, according to court records. Matthew Haarhoff is charged with first-degree murder in the February 2006 death of Tony Fertitta, whose body was found burning in the Old Mill community of Anne Arundel County. A family member said yesterday that Haarhoff was expected to plead to a lesser charge, but his attorney and prosecutors declined to discuss the details of the plea.

A 52-year-old career thief and mother of six was convicted yesterday of secretly stealing thousands of dollars from her boyfriend and stabbing him to death before his body was found burning along an Anne Arundel County road. Two weeks before her trial was to begin, Cynthia J. McKay entered a guilty plea to charges of second-degree murder and felony theft, ducking a possible life sentence in a crime that ensnared two of her sons. She now faces a maximum penalty of 30 years. Prosecutors and defense attorneys involved in the case said piecing together not just the death of Anthony Fertitta, whose body was found ablaze not far from McKay's Millersville townhouse in February 2006, but McKay's past made the case one of the most complicated they had ever handled.

A Baltimore County man was sentenced yesterday to five years in prison for helping to dispose of the body of his mother's boyfriend in a killing that prosecutors say was carried out by three members of a troubled family. Anne Arundel County prosecutors said Christopher James Haarhoff, 21, who was initially charged with first-degree murder in the February 2006 death of Anthony Fertitta, helped his mother, Cynthia J. McKay, drag Fertitta's body out of her Millersville house, through a back door and onto the sidewalk of her community, where it was doused with gasoline and set afire.

The 17-year-old Millersville boy accused of killing his mother's boyfriend and setting the body on fire was ordered held without bail at a hearing yesterday in Anne Arundel County District Court. Matthew Joseph Haarhoff, 17, of Millersville was arrested at a Salisbury hotel Thursday afternoon and charged with first-degree murder, police said. He is being held in the county detention center. Haarhoff's mother, Cynthia Jean McKay, 49, is also being held without bond in the same detention center on charges relating to the killing.

No more than rumor and hope for the last 10 years, a local boxing gym may become reality in the next six months if local businessman Scott Wagner has his way.Wagner and his father, Mike Wagner, own Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, and they have taken an ambitious approach to making boxing succeed in Anne Arundel County."

It was one of those "don't snooze or you lose" kind of pro boxing shows at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie Friday evening.Just under eight rounds of boxing marked what was the fastest show in Anne Arundel County since pro boxing returned to the county in August 1987.Highly touted heavyweight Thomas "Top Dog" Williams of Washington and upstart locals Bobby "The Maryland Mauler" Haarhoff and Alfonzo "Too Good For You" Daniels knocked out their opponents in rapid succession.Glen Burnie's Jeff "Persecutor" Passero was the only winner on the four-bout card to go the distance.

After watching Thursday night's wild Round One Promotions Dinner and Boxing Show at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, I've come up with a batch of questions without answers.Any comments or answers you may have are always welcome on my 24-Hour Sportsline, (410) 647-2499.* Were you surprised that junior welterweight Glen Randolph (3-11) of Monrovia lasted all eight rounds before being decisioned in the main event by Old Mill grad Chuck Sturm (28-3-1)?* Wasn't light heavyweight left-hander Bobby "The Maryland Mauler" Haarhoff, who trains under Jeff Novotny at the Crofton Boxing Center, impressive in his pro debut with a TKO of Baltimore's Cecil Sims (5-14-1)

As Charley would say, "you can call a cab, or make that two cabs," for this Tuesday at Michael's Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie.It turns out that it was not a good night for the Four Rivers District Boys Scouts to honor Glen Burnie's Charley Eckman as Good Scout of the Year.Eckman has not been feeling well lately, and conflicts with other events that evening have necessitated a rescheduling of the Eckman Night for Jan. 10 at Michael's.The longtime broadcaster and former NBA coach and referee is to be honored for his community service and humanitarian deeds over the past 50 years.

A familiar lament among boxing fans is the relative absence of exciting, young fighters, resulting in the likes of former champions George Foreman, Larry Holmes and Roberto Duran still being showcased.Dwindling neighborhood gyms coupled with the reluctance of promoters to stage small club shows has restricted the flow of new ring talent. But there are always exceptions, and three examples from the Baltimore area will be on display in preliminary bouts on tomorrow night's fight card at Martin's West featuring cruiserweights Jason Waller and Vincent Boulware.