‘Retaliatory Violence’: Baltimore Man Accused of Killing Carjacker After Tracking Him Down With Find My iPhone App

A Baltimore man is facing charges after police say he used Find My iPhone to track and kill another man.

Dontaye Montez Carter, 44, was charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy, kidnapping, use of a firearm, and more on June 11. Baltimore police said he killed Kenneth Lawson, 20, in 2022.

Lawson’s body was found on a freeway entrance ramp from Westport in Baltimore. Authorities said he was shot in the back of the head.

Police say Kenneth Lawson (left) was killed by Dontaye Montez Carter (right) after an armed carjacking.
Police say Kenneth Lawson (left) was killed by Dontaye Montez Carter (right) after an armed carjacking. (Photos: YouTube screenshot/ WBAL)

“The facts alleged in this case paint a disturbing picture of the retaliatory violence that plagued our city in 2022 and continues to surface today,” State’s Attorney Ivan Bates said in a statement.

‘No Place Else to Go’: Florida Couple Loses $141,000, House and Car in Yearslong Lottery Scam

‘I’m About to Get Shot!’: Starbucks Defends Firing Two Baristas Who Fought Off Robbers After Terrifying Attack Caught on Camera

Investigators determined Lawson and a group of other individuals carjacked Carter at gunpoint on Jan. 21, 2022. They were accused of stealing his car, cellphone, shoes, clothing, and watch.

Carter told investigators at the time he didn’t know who robbed him because they were wearing masks.

Authorities later saw security video of Lawson lowering his face mask and exposing his full face to Carter during the incident.

After the carjacking, investigators said Carter used the “Find My iPhone” app to track his stolen phone. He tracked it to an area near Lawson’s home.

Investigators believe Lawson was kidnapped or lured to the Westport area, where his body was ultimately discovered the day after the carjacking.

Carter is also accused of sharing screenshots of Lawson’s social media pages, including photos of Lawson, his nickname, and his address, with his associates.

Atlanta Black Star reviewed court documents but could not find the names of any potential associates.

Bates said it took four years to make an arrest because the office didn’t have a Cold Case Unit, which was established four years ago.

The state’s attorney reaffirmed that his office hasn’t given up on unsolved homicides.

“We haven’t forgotten them. We’re working on them one case at a time. We’ve [been] working on the cases, and when we get the evidence, we’re going to focus on the cases,” Bates said.

Democracy needs journalism it can trust.

This election season, the stakes are higher than usual — and so is the pressure on newsrooms to soften their coverage, stay quiet, or just disappear. Independent reporting, the kind that answers to readers instead of advertisers or political pressure, matters more in a moment like this, not less.

For over 14 years, Atlanta Black Star has stayed independent and reader-funded. We have no corporate owner and no shareholders telling us what to cover or how to cover it. That independence is also our biggest vulnerability: nothing protects it except readers choosing to fund it directly.

Newspaper ad revenue has fallen more than 80% since 2005, and local newsrooms are closing at a rate of roughly two a week nationwide. When outlets go under in a moment like this, it's rarely the independent, reader-funded ones that get to stick around.

We know a request for support isn't why you came here. But without readers choosing to fund this work directly, the depth of reporting we can do at home and abroad shrinks along with everyone else's. If you're not in a position to give, that doesn't change how much we value you as a reader.

If you are able to, a recurring contribution does more for us than a single one-time gift, because it lets us plan the next investigation instead of just the next invoice. It takes about 30 seconds, no long form, no account. Thank you for continuing to support independent journalism and freedom of the press.

Back to top