A grieving grandmother is speaking out for the first time after her grandson, 19-year-old Andrew Blessing, was shot and killed while sleeping in her Towson home last year.
Holding tightly to a photo of her grandson, she recalls the devastating moment he died in her arms.
“I think I was the first one to hold him when he was born. I was the last one to hold him, you know, before he passed away,” said Dianne Blessing.
On Dec. 9, 2024, their home on Beaverbank Circle was broken into in the middle of the night.
“We were sleeping, and I just heard the loudest sound I’ve ever heard in my life. You know, one after another, after another, after another. And I knew immediately that it was gunfire,” said Dianne.
She rushed downstairs where Andrew was sleeping. But by the time she reached him, Dianne says the intruders were gone.
“I just relive that night over and over and over again. All day long,” she says, “This is a house that we’ve had for 50 years in my family, all those memories, everything, and I can’t stand to walk in the door anymore.”
Earlier this month, police arrested Mark Jackson and Daiquon Ferguson for the crime. According to charging documents, Blessing was with Ferguson’s girlfriend, 21-year-old Emoni Rodgers, when he was murdered. Later that night, police say Rodgers’ body was found in Druid Hill Park with multiple gunshot wounds. Charging documents go on to claim she was killed with the same gun used to kill Blessing.
Court records also reveal Ferguson has a record of repeat firearms offenses and was found in violation of his parole just days before Blessing’s murder.
“He had an open warrant,” said Dianne, “And I don’t want to hear that it’s not reasonable to think that a warrant can be served within three days. If they would have served the warrant, my grandson would be alive right now.”
Despite Ferguson’s extensive criminal history, a judge released him following the parole violation. A few months later, he’s accused of attempting to murder two more individuals.
On Friday, the Maryland Judiciary sent FOX45 the following statement, declining to provide further explanation regarding the judge’s decision:
The Maryland Judiciary generally cannot comment on pending or impending legal matters or the judge’s deliberative process. Judges are bound by ethical rules and legal principles, preventing them from commenting on specific matters to preserve the impartiality and fairness of the judicial system.
“Basically, I feel like the system, the judge, they might as well have pulled the trigger themselves, honestly,” said Dianne.
Dianne says she’s breaking her silence to clear her grandson’s name, describing him as kind, caring, and family-oriented. While Blessing had previously been investigated by Baltimore City’s Group Violence Unit and faced a firearm charge of his own, she insists he had learned from his mistakes and was actively working to turn his life around.
“He wasn’t about that life at all. All he was worried about was working and taking care of his daughter,” she said, “My grandson is the victim in all of this, you know, he wasn’t out on the streets, he wasn’t fighting anyone. He was home in his bed asleep.”
Adding to the complexity of the case, police are still investigating a possible connection between Blessing’s murder and a mass shooting that occurred outside a Towson funeral home the following week. On Friday, Baltimore County police told FOX45 they have yet to rule out possible gang ties.
“Right now, we haven’t confirmed if it’s gang related, but there does appear to be at least some rival individuals,” said Baltimore County Police Chief Robert McCullough during a press conference back in December.
Dianne doesn’t believe the cases are connected, although she adds that some of Blessing’s friends were involved.
“They were the victims. You know, they were targeted, they were ambushed. They weren’t shooting back,” she said.
Months later, police continue to search for a suspect, while Dianne holds onto hope that her grandson’s accused killers will never be released again.
“Justice is that they’re never free, that they die in jail,” she said.
Have a news tip? Contact Rebecca Pryor at rkpryor@sbgtv.com or on X at @RebeccaPryorTV.