A 53-year-old Maryland man who brutally stabbed his elderly mother dozens of times during an argument over her vehicle has been sentenced to the equivalent of a lifetime in prison.
Reginald English was sentenced to life in prison on Friday, with all but 72 years suspended, a punishment authorities sought to represent the 72 years his mother, Lorena Royster, lived before her death. English was convicted of murder earlier this year after a jury determined he was responsible for Royster’s death inside her Bladensburg apartment.
Deadly argument over a car
According to authorities, the assault arose from a heated argument between English and his mother about her Toyota Camry, which English desired to use. According to court records, the disagreement evolved into a fatal attack inside Royster’s home.
Police were called to the apartment for a welfare check about 11 p.m. on April 3, 2024. Officers discovered Royster unresponsive with a stab wound to her neck and pronounced her deceased on the scene. Investigators later concluded that she had been stabbed 47 times. Police also discovered that one handcuff was still fastened to her wrist, which prosecutors said emphasized the savagery of the crime.
Bizarre events before the discovery
English was encountered by authorities approximately 12 hours before Royster’s body was discovered, after jumping into Cox Creek, which is roughly 40 miles east of his mother’s apartment. A cop discovered English in the water with a woman’s engagement ring.
English told officers that he was praying. He was taken to the hospital for treatment and then released. Days after the welfare check at Royster’s house, English was charged with murder.
Trial and conviction
English’s trial started in July 2024. During the trial, prosecutors claimed that the crime was motivated by power and entitlement, telling jurors that English “killed his mother over the use of a Toyota Camry.”
According to court testimony, English allegedly continued to focus on the automobile while awaiting trial in jail, fighting with his sister about the car’s title.
On August 7, the jury convicted English of murder, paving the way for punishment.
Sentencing meant to honor the victim
At Friday’s sentencing hearing, prosecutors asked the judge to impose a sentence based on Royster’s age. The court subsequently condemned English to life in prison, with all but 72 years suspended.
After the sentence, family members addressed the court. Audrey Lawrence, Royster’s stepdaughter, explained that the number was intended to serve as a permanent memorial to the lives stolen.
“For me, 72 years is going to forever be etched in his brain,” says Lawrence. “I don’t care where he goes until the day he leaves this earth, and even when he’s in the ground, he’s probably going to remember 72.”
Ongoing legal fight
Despite the verdict and punishment, court records indicate that English has appealed his conviction, which means the matter may continue in Maryland’s appellate courts.
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