Salisbury, MD - Ralph Harmon Jr has been sentenced to serve life in prison plus 60 years by the honorable Kathleen L. Beckstead, Chief Judge of the Circuit Court for Wicomico County, Maryland.

This ruling was delivered on Thursday, February 15, 2024, following a conviction by a jury.  Harmon was put on trial for four days in November 2023, where the jury ultimately found him guilty of Attempted First Degree and Second Degree Murder, Rape in First and Second Degree, Kidnapping, False Imprisonment, Armed Robbery, and several other related offenses. 

The charges stem from a chilling incident that shook the Delmarva, when the 80-year-old victim was assailed by Harmon in her driveway in Seaford, Delaware. As she was about to get into her car, Harmon forcefully accosted her. 

Harmon aggressively pistol-whipped her, robbed her of her jewelry, forced her into her own vehicle, and drove away.

Not only did Harmon force the victim to give him the PIN number to her debit card, but he also took her across state lines into Maryland where he sexually assaulted her and bound her hands. 

After making withdrawals at several ATMs, Harmon took the victim to a residence in Salisbury, Maryland, where he led the victim, hands still bound, onto a pier and thrust her into the icy waters of the Wicomico River. 

After a brutal assault that saw the victim severely injured, Harmon left believing his actions had ensured her demise.

However, defying odds, the victim managed to free herself after enduring eleven minutes in the freezing waters. She was able to make it to the riverside where passing motorists found her and called 911. 

The victim was subsequently taken to Tidal Health where she received emergency medical treatment.

Meanwhile, Harmon spent the day with his friends, financing a spending spree with the victim's stolen debit card. The victim's vehicle was later spotted by police in a parking lot in Salisbury, and Harmon was arrested following a brief chase, with the victim's debit card still in his possession.

Wicomico County State's Attorney (SA) Jamie Dykes said "I am thankful to the victim for her extraordinary courage, her resilience, and her unwavering faith in our system of justice. Harmon is the embodiment of evil, but thanks to the courage and fortitude of the victim, the work of law enforcement and prosecutors, and the sentence imposed by Judge Beckstead, our community is now safe from Ralph Harmon and the victim will have a measure of justice as she continues to recover from this horrific crime."

(SA) Jamie Dykes commended the members of the Maryland State Police, the Salisbury Police Department, and the Wicomico County Sheriff's Office for their work in the investigation, specifically thanking the lead Detective, Senior Trooper Garrett Dick, for his hard work and diligence in the investigation. 

SA Dykes also commended Senior Assistant State's Attorneys Heather Clarke, Lauren Bourdon, and D. Scott Messersmith, who prosecuted the case.