Two Arrested in Fatal Montgomery County Motel Parking Lot Assault

Montgomery County, Maryland, police arrested two people in connection with the beating and stabbing death of a man in a motel parking lot early Sunday morning.

Detectives said Ruben Ortiz, 20, from Adelphia, Maryland, and Collette Cox, 19, of Wheaton, Maryland, were arrested late Sunday and charged with first-degree murder and armed robbery in the death of Sulaiman Jalloh, 24, of Bowie, Maryland.

Investigators said Jalloh and some of his friends were approached by Ortiz and Cox at the Silver Spring Metro station on Saturday, where they offered to sell Jalloh marijuana. The two groups agreed to meet outside of the Days Inn in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Police said when they met around 11 p.m. Saturday, Jalloh’s friends robbed Ortiz of cash and his shoes. Later, Ortiz and a small group of people went to Jalloh’s motel room and demanded the return of the cash and shoes, which was done.

Just before 2:30 a.m. Sunday, Jalloh went outside to the parking lot, where police said Ortiz, Cox, and a group of people beat, stabbed and robbed him. After the attack, Jalloh was able to make it back to his room and called police.

Jalloh was transported to the hospital, where he died.

Ortiz and Cox are being held without bail at the Montgomery County Detention Center.

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