Montgomery County parkas-for-gun trade leaves teen dead; two charged

An 18-year-old, Taeyon Prather, was found shot to death in a Montgomery County parking lot minutes after leaving his home to meet someone about trading a Moose Knuckles parka and cash for a Glock. Investigators say Prather left to meet the buyer, and was found dead nine minutes later at the scene of the transaction.

Montgomery County detectives reconstructed the meeting using surveillance video, cellphone records and Instagram messages. Those digital pieces of evidence showed the proposed trade and placed two people at the parking lot during the fatal encounter. Court filings identify one suspect as 20-year-old Kevin Perez-Fierro; the other is a 16-year-old student at Gaithersburg High School who has been detained in juvenile custody.

During the altercation, the juvenile suspect sustained a gunshot wound to the lower abdomen and later told authorities that a stranger shot him. Detectives say the surveillance footage and the cellphone and Instagram records contradict that account and instead link both suspects to the scene and sequence of events leading to Prather’s death.

Both suspects have been charged with first-degree murder and armed robbery. The juvenile has been bound over to adult court, a decision that immediately raised questions within the community about the treatment of youth accused of violent crimes. Prosecutors cited the suspects’ prior records and possible gang association in court filings and asked that neither be released pretrial. They are opposing release while the investigation and prosecution proceed.

The case has become a focal point for local debate over juvenile prosecution policy and the capacity of rehabilitation systems to handle violent youth offenders. Neighbors and local advocates are weighing concerns about public safety against arguments for age-appropriate interventions, noting that binding a minor over to adult court carries long-term consequences for sentencing and access to rehabilitative services.

For readers tracking developments, expect prosecutors to present the surveillance and digital evidence in detention and preliminary hearings, where the question of pretrial release will be central. The case also underscores practical safety considerations for anyone arranging in-person trades of high-value items and firearms: digital records can become pivotal evidence, and meetings that begin as online negotiations can escalate quickly.

What comes next are court proceedings that will test how prosecutors balance the severity of the charges with the juvenile’s age and prior contacts with the criminal justice system. The outcome will have implications for Montgomery County’s approach to violent youth offenders and for families seeking both accountability and a roadmap for rehabilitation.