Repeat offender accused of murdering elderly woman — an art gallery owner — on Baltimore street in broad daylight attack

A repeat offender is accused of murdering an elderly woman in a broad daylight attack late last month on a street in the Fells Point neighborhood of Baltimore.

The 76-year-old victim — who was an art gallery owner — and her husband reportedly "were staunch about staying in Fells Point and believing in that community and wanting to lift the community up."

'It's very surreal. It was so sudden. And the fact that it was so violent. And the fact that she was such a good person and so community-oriented.'

Claudia Bismark died days after investigators said 32-year-old Montray McCray assaulted and robbed her and her husband after they left Broadway Market in Fells Point on Sept. 29, WBFF-TV reported.

Police said officers responded to the incident just after 9:30 a.m. and spoke with the victims who told them an unidentified male knocked them to the ground and stole a wallet from one of them before fleeing.

Police said both victims were taken to an area hospital for medical treatment, but the 76-year-old woman — now identified as Bismark — succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead Thursday.

Police added that Warrant Apprehension detectives also on Thursday arrested McCray while in the unit block of South Carrollton Avenue. Police said McCray was taken to the Central Booking Intake Facility; initially he was charged with assault, robbery, and reckless endangerment.

But now McCray is charged with first- and second-degree murder in connection with Bismark's death, WBFF reported.

What's more, court documents indicate McCray assaulted a man near the city's Inner Harbor just days before the attack on Bismark and her husband, the station said.

WBFF, citing court documents, said the victim told officers his attacker punched him in the face and robbed him after he refused to give money to the attacker.

The victim added to police that the attack happened as he was walking from getting Chipotle in the 400 block of East Pratt Street near the Inner Harbor just after 2:15 p.m. Sept. 26, the station said.

WBFF, citing court documents, reported that surveillance video from the earlier attack as well as the assault against Bismark and her husband helped lead police to tracking down McCray.

McCray appeared in court Monday for bond hearings related to both cases, the station said.

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Court records also show that McCray’s criminal history dates back a decade, WBFF said.

• He was arrested in Baltimore City in 2016 and charged in connection with a felony drug case, the station said, adding that the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office said the case was listed as STET — meaning the case stays pending and no action is taken.
• In 2018, records show McCray was arrested in connection with another felony drug and gun case, WBFF reported, adding that the State’s Attorney’s Office said the case was never prosecuted.
• Records also indicate that McCray in 2019 was found guilty of violating his probation and sentenced to two and a half years in prison, the station said.
• McCray in 2023 was found guilty of violating a protective order, WBFF noted.

He's scheduled for an Oct. 29 preliminary hearing, the station said.

Bismark was the owner of the Bismark-Wilson Art Gallery on Bank Street, according to a separate WBFF story.

On the day of her death, the station said family, friends, and neighbors gathered at the site of the assault against Bismark and her husband for a candlelight vigil.

Longtime friend Kate Norris told WBFF that Bismark and her husband lived in Fells Point for decades, and she was passionate about art, people, the community, and traveling.

“It's very surreal. It was so sudden. And the fact that it was so violent. And the fact that she was such a good person and so community-oriented," Norris added to the station. "They were staunch about staying in Fells Point and believing in that community and wanting to lift the community up."

As for Bismark's attacker, Norris told WBFF that "it feels like the system failed us, our family, the community in letting somebody like that either be on the street or unmonitored if he had mental health problems. And this isn’t the first time. While I was at the vigil, I learned of a woman who lost her husband two years ago when he was walking the dog. Same situation.”

WJZ-TV reported in July that new security measures and checkpoints took effect in Fells Point after a string of teen takeovers.

"The amount of shootings that have happened in Fells the last couple of months has been an uptick that I don't think I've seen before," Baltimore resident Sophia Gana told WJZ.

The station said the safety changes came a month after police were called to disperse a large crowd in Fells Point — and on that same weekend, police reported two shootings in the neighborhood.

"I'll see on like social media, it just gets wild out here," Daniel Jacks added to WJZ.

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