Family of Woman Found Deceased Near Arundel Mills Mall to Hold Press Conference Outside Maryland Attorney General’s Office Over Enforcement of State Law

The Family of a woman who was found deceased near Arundel Mills Mall in 2012 is scheduled to hold a press conference next week to publicly challenge Attorney General Anthony Brown over what the family alleges is a refusal to fully enforce a state law governing death reclassifications.

Related: Commentary: Katherine Morris Deserves Justice, Not Loopholes By- Rev. Marguerite Morris

Family of Woman Found Deceased Near Arundel Mills Mall Issues Renewed Call to County Executive Steuart Pittman for Transparency and Accountability Regarding Case Investigation

According to the Anne Arundel County Police Cold Case Unit, on May 6, 2012, at approximately 5:00 a.m., the lifeless body of Katherine Morris, a 22-year-old University of Maryland student, was discovered in her 2005 gold four-door Pontiac. The vehicle was situated in the 7000 block of Arundel Mills Boulevard, parked adjacent to the Egyptian 24 movie theater in the rear parking lot of an Anne Arundel Community College satellite location. The vehicle was observed entering the lot around 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 5, 2012, and is believed to have remained there until discovered on Sunday morning with its engine running. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined the cause of death was carbon monoxide intoxication resulting from charcoal grills burning inside her vehicle. 

According to a media alert, the press conference will focus on a Maryland law intended to ensure transparency, accountability, and legal compliance in manner-of-death determinations. The alert states that families contend the law exists “on paper—but not in practice.”

The press conference is being convened by Rev. Marguerite Morris, the mother of Katherine “Kathy” Morris. Reverend Morris is identified in the alert as the first person in 18 years to successfully reverse an Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) manner-of-death ruling through an administrative process. She is now calling for full compliance with the statute.

The media alert alleges that Attorney General Brown has refused to fully comply with Maryland law governing death reclassifications. The issue is framed within the context of a 2025 OCME audit that reportedly exposed systemic failures and is currently under review by a Governor’s Task Force.

Key context outlined in the alert includes a 2021 landmark administrative ruling reversing an OCME manner-of-death classification, the 2025 audit identifying systemic failures within the medical examiner’s office, and current accusations that the Attorney General is declining full legal compliance. According to the alert, the Morris Family and other families report continued obstruction, delays, and resistance despite clear statutory mandates.

In a statement attributed to her in the alert, Rev. Morris said she was forced to represent herself in court and prevailed, but maintains that full compliance with the law has yet to occur. She characterized the issue as extending beyond her own case, raising broader questions about whether the law applies equally to those in power.

The press conference is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, at 10 a.m. in front of the Attorney General's Office, located at 200 St. Paul Place in Baltimore. Organizers are urging public and media attention to the event, which they say highlights statewide and national implications for death investigations and family rights.