Arrest Made in Church Creek Death Investigation

Dorchester County, MD - On August 15, 2026, shortly before 2:00 p.m., the Dorchester County Sheriff's Office responded to the area of Golden Hill Road in Church Creek, Maryland for a report of a body being found in the phragmites. Someone passing by had found the body in the tall marsh grass along the road and called for help.

The man who died had no fixed address. Two months later, a man from East New Market was charged in connection with his death.

Police have named that man as Jacob Motley, 27, of East New Market, MD. He was indicted by a grand jury and taken into custody this week.

After the body was found, the Maryland State Police Homicide Unit took the lead on the case. Investigators spent the next several weeks working to learn what happened.

They had help from a long list of agencies. Troopers from the Easton Barrack and staff from the Maryland State Police Forensic Sciences Division worked on the case.

The Maryland State Apprehension Team Capital Area Regional Task Force also assisted. So did the Department of Natural Resources Police, the Dorchester County Sheriff's Office, and the Dorchester County State's Attorney's Office.

Once the investigation was complete, prosecutors took the case to a grand jury. The Dorchester County State's Attorney's Office presented its evidence on Monday, October 19, 2026.

The grand jury handed up an indictment against Motley that same day. An indictment means the grand jury found enough evidence for the case to move forward to court.

Motley was arrested on the morning of October 21, 2026. A Department of Natural Resources Police officer pulled him over during a traffic stop in Dorchester County.

Motley faces four charges. They are first-degree assault, second-degree assault, involuntary manslaughter, and reckless endangerment.

He is being held at the Dorchester County Detention Center without bond.

Disclosure: All individuals mentioned in this article are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Eastern Shore Undercover® does not express or imply any opinion regarding the incident reported.