ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - A white man was indicted Tuesday on a hate crime charge for allegedly stabbing a black college student to death "because of his race," a Maryland prosecutor said.
Prince George's County State's Attorney Angela Alsobrooks announced the grand jury indictment against Sean Urbanski at a news conference in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. Richard Collins III was stabbed to death May 20 at the University of Maryland, days before he was set to graduate from Bowie State University. He had just been commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army.
"We are completely comfortable with the indictment in this case and look forward to taking the case to trial in January," Alsobrooks said, adding prosecutors took the time they felt was necessary to investigate all the evidence.
Authorities analyzed "lots and lots of digital evidence," including evidence from Urbanski's phone and computer data, Alsobrooks said.
"There was lots of digital evidence that we could look at to get a sense for the motive in this case," Alsobrooks said, though she declined to elaborate.
"Again, we can't discuss in detail without compromising our case what the evidence is in the case, but again the evidence led us to the conclusion that Lt. Collins was murdered because of his race," Alsobrooks added, when reporters asked for further details.
Collins, 23, was visiting friends at the College Park campus of the University of Maryland when the stabbing happened.
Authorities quickly focused on the possibility the slaying was a hate crime, because Urbanski became a member of a racist Facebook group several months before the stabbing. University of Maryland Police Chief said at the time he asked the FBI to assist in the investigation after learning Urbanski belonged to a Facebook group called "Alt-Reich: Nation," where members post disparaging material about African-Americans and others.
Officials said Collins was with two friends near a campus bus stop about 3 a.m. when they heard Urbanski screaming and watched him approach them. Urbanski said "Step left, step left if you know what's best for you," according to the charging documents. Collins said "no" before Urbanski stabbed him once in the chest, the documents said.