Finksburg murder suspect arrested as fugitive in state of Pennsylvania

Carroll County Sheriff Jim DeWees and Carroll County State’s Attorney Haven Shoemaker announced Tuesday morning at the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office Training Academy in Hampstead that a suspect has been arrested in the Patapsco-Finksburg homicide of Benjamin Billings on December 13. On Monday afternoon, Carroll County Sheriff’s Office detectives arrested Austin Paul Potocki, 30, in Hanover, Pennsylvania. Potocki remains held pending extradition. Kevin Dayhoff/Courtesy

The man accused of murdering one man and injuring another in Finksburg on Dec. 13, was arrested in Hanover, Pennsylvania, on Monday. Police say the shooting might have stemmed from a business dispute.

Police found two men shot inside a Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck on the morning of Dec. 13, and identified the driver as Benjaman Billings, 33, of Owings Mills. Billings was pronounced dead at the scene. The passenger, identified as David Anderson, 42, of Finksburg, was taken to Sinai Hospital for a gunshot wound to his left arm, according to a Carroll County Sheriff’s Office statement on Tuesday.

The suspect, Austin Paul Potocki, 30, of Hanover, is believed to have fled to Pennsylvania after the incident. He is being held in Pennsylvania as a fugitive from justice as of Tuesday morning. The Carroll County Sheriff’s Office holds a warrant for murder and related charges, according to the release.

The Hanover resident was interviewed by police and became a primary suspect after Anderson told police about several people who could be behind the shooting. The suspect had a business relationship with both victims through his company, Austin’s Pool Service, and Anderson had texted the subject that he might initiate a civil lawsuit against him, according to police.

Police say they believe the suspect knew where his victims were going to be at 7:44 a.m. on Dec. 13 and waited for them with an assault rifle. The suspect reportedly fled a short distance on foot before leaving in his vehicle. Potocki likely used a device to catch shell casings, as none were found at the crime scene, police said.

In searching the suspect’s residence and storage units, police say they found shell casings that matched the subject’s assault rifle, and that Potocki might have attempted to destroy the casings. Police say they were able to place the suspect at or around Finksburg at the time of the shooting using cellphone, computer and physical evidence recovered.

The Carroll County Sheriff’s Office will continue to collect and analyze evidence and turn the case over to the Carroll County State’s Attorney’s Office for prosecution, the release said.

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