Father allegedly confesses to bizarre murder of both of his sons

By Sarah Barr

Staff Writer

A Silver Spring man charged with the murders of his two sons called police to report his crime after shooting them, according to police reports.

Thurmon Herring, 44, told police he shot his sons Jeremy Herring, 18, and Justin Herring, 20, while they slept early on Monday morning, according to charging documents filed.

He then traveled to Rockville where he called police and admitted to the shootings, also saying that he believed he had shot his wife. He later told police that his wife had left for work at 4:45 a.m., more than an hour before he said he shot his sons, police said. She was later found at work unharmed. Police arrested him at the intersection of Crabbs Branch Road and Standish Place.

When police arrived at the Herring family home in the 14900 block of Dinsdale Drive in Silver Spring at 9 a.m., they found the brothers dead from apparent gunshot wounds. An exact cause of death will be determined after an autopsy by the medical examiner in Baltimore.

Officers were forced to leave the home, though, after they smelled gasoline and noticed smoke in the house. Herring told police he had spilled gas in the basement and tried to ignite it, police said.

Police re-entered in the early afternoon after Fire and Rescue services ventilated the residence, according to police spokeswoman Lucille Baur.

Investigators do not have a motive for the crime, but police are aware of what is "on so many people's minds — how could a father kill his own sons," said Baur.

At a vigil held outside the family's home on Tuesday night, family and friends recalled the lives of Jeremy and Justin. Both graduated from John F. Kennedy High School, in 2007 and 2005 respectively, according to Baur.

Ellis Moore, pastor of Georgia Avenue Baptist Church where the family attended services, spoke about the brothers, recalling Justin's devotion to the church. "We're going to miss him and his brother and his family. My heart goes out to them and we're here to help them in any way we can. Just letting them know that we love them," said Moore.

Police charged Herring with two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of using a handgun in the commission of a felony. He is being held without bond at the Montgomery County Detention Center.

— Photographer Ken Levy also contributed to this article.

Photo courtesy MCPD