Cynthia Byrd Sentenced for Theft from Purnell Museum

SNOW HILL, MD - On Friday, November 21, 2025, Cynthia Byrd of Salisbury, Maryland, was sentenced for a theft scheme charge to which she had previously pleaded guilty. The sentencing occurred in the Worcester County Circuit Court, with the Honorable Donald C. Davis, a retired judge from Wicomico County Circuit Court, presiding.

Byrd, age 53, was sentenced to 10 years in the Division of Correction. All but 18 months of the sentence were suspended. Following her release, Byrd will be placed on five years of supervised probation. She has also been ordered to pay $97,316.87 in restitution to the Town of Snow Hill.

The conviction is the result of an investigation that began in November 2024. At that time, the Board of Directors for the Julia A. Purnell Museum reported suspicious purchases made by Byrd, who was the museum's Executive Director.

An investigation conducted by the Worcester County Criminal Bureau of Investigation revealed that Byrd held the Executive Director position from 2015 to 2024. In 2017, she opened a credit card in the museum's name without the board's knowledge or authorization.

Detectives found that from 2017 to 2024, Byrd made 1,781 fraudulent purchases on this card, totaling $97,316.87.

Worcester County State's Attorney Kris Heiser commended the Worcester County Sheriff's Office and the lead investigator, Detective Cpl. Gardner, for their work on the case.

Heiser also thanked Assistant State's Attorney Zachary Reid, who prosecuted the case.