ANNAPOLIS, MD - The Honorable Cathleen M. Vitale sentenced Edgar Franklin Manning IV, 27, of Pasadena to life in prison plus 10 years for the first degree murder and second degree rape of Megan Burdeaux announced Anne Arundel County State's Attorney Anne Colt Leitess. Manning entered a guilty plea to the charges on September 16, 2019.
"Manning viciously cut short the vibrant life of Ms. Burdeaux when he brutally attacked and assaulted her," said Anne Arundel County State's Attorney Anne Colt Leitess. "This sentence will hold Manning accountable for this heinous act of violence against Ms. Burdeaux. My thoughts are with her family during this difficult time."
Assistant State's Attorney James Tuomey prosecuted the case on behalf of the citizens of Anne Arundel County.
On September 25, 2018, Prince George's County police received a call from the parents of the defendant, later identified as Edgar Franklin Manning IV, who told them that he had killed his girlfriend, later identified as Megan Burdeaux. Manning told his parents he was driving his vehicle, a red colored Chevrolet Astro van, in the Bowie area of Maryland.
Prince George's County police began tracking Mr. Manning's cellphone. The vehicle was located and later determined to have traveled to the Odenton area of Anne Arundel County. During this time, the Anne Arundel County police began actively searching for Mr. Manning as well.
The next day, on September 26, 2018, Anne Arundel County police found Mr. Manning's vehicle on Burns Crossing Road in Gambrills. Officers found Mr. Manning inside the vehicle and saw Ms. Burdeaux's body in the back. Mr. Manning was arrested.
Mr. Manning admitted to police that during an argument he strangled Ms. Burdeaux to death in the parking lot of Walmart in 8100 block of Ritchie Highway. An autopsy conducted by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined Ms. Burdeaux had also been sexually assaulted before she died.
For those suffering from domestic violence, please reach out for help to the Anne Arundel County domestic violence hotline at 410-222-6800 to speak to a trained advocate.