1975 Maryland Cold Case Solved After Serial Killer Confession

Charles William Davis Jr., already serving life sentences for other murders, confessed to the killing of Roseann Sturtz but cannot be charged due to prior immunity agreements.

Roseann Sturtz, a 20-year-old Baltimore woman, was murdered in August 1975 after meeting her killer at a bar; her body was found months later in a wooded area in Columbia, Maryland.
Charles William Davis Jr., a convicted serial killer serving life sentences for three other murders, confessed to Sturtz's killing during a 2024 interview with police.
The confession was prompted by detectives showing Davis a more recent photo of Sturtz, which he recognized, leading to his admission of guilt.
A 1981 immunity agreement with prosecutors, made in exchange for Davis providing details about the case, prevents him from being charged with Sturtz's murder.
The resolution of the case provides closure to Sturtz's family, who had been searching for answers for nearly 50 years.