An 87-year-old lawyer descended from Supreme Court royalty was found shot to death in his Maryland senior living apartment, sparking a murder investigation that has exposed unsettling questions about security in facilities where America’s elderly entrust their final years.
Story Snapshot
- Robert Fuller Jr., a prominent Maine attorney and philanthropist, was discovered shot dead at Cogir Potomac Senior Living facility on February 14, 2026
- Montgomery County police classified the death as a homicide but have made no arrests and identified no suspects
- Fuller donated $1.64 million to Maine education and descended from Chief Justice Melville Fuller of Plessy v. Ferguson infamy
- The facility refuses to disclose whether security changes were implemented or if staff or residents are under investigation
- Authorities cannot determine if Fuller was targeted or killed opportunistically, leaving residents and families questioning safety protocols
A Life of Law and Philanthropy Ends in Violence
Robert Fuller Jr. spent more than 35 years practicing law in Maine and served as a senior officer in the Naval Reserve before retiring to Maryland to be closer to family. His generosity left an indelible mark on Augusta, Maine, where his $1.64 million gift in 2021 modernized Cony High School’s Alumni Field complex. Fuller also penned a novel titled “Unnatural Deaths” in 2009, a darkly ironic detail given the circumstances of his demise. First responders arrived at his apartment around 7:30 a.m. on a Saturday morning expecting a cardiac arrest call, only to discover a crime scene.
The Troubling Legacy of Chief Justice Melville Fuller
Fuller carried not just wealth but a complicated family history as a direct descendant of Supreme Court Chief Justice Melville Fuller, who served from 1888 to 1910. Chief Justice Fuller cast his vote to uphold the “separate but equal” doctrine in Plessy v. Ferguson, cementing decades of legal racial segregation. In 2013, Robert Fuller commissioned a statue of his ancestor installed in front of the old Kennebec County courthouse in Augusta. When George Floyd’s death ignited national scrutiny of racial justice in 2020, the statue became controversial. Fuller demonstrated character by agreeing to remove and pay for the statue’s relocation, acknowledging his family’s problematic role in American history.
Security Questions the Facility Won’t Answer
The most disturbing aspect of this case centers on what Cogir Potomac Senior Living refuses to disclose. When pressed about whether security measures changed after the shooting, whether staff members are under investigation, or if residents face suspicion, facility representatives declined to answer. Their generic statement about prioritizing resident and staff safety rings hollow when families deserve concrete answers about how a homicide occurred within what should be a secure environment. Montgomery County detectives face a crucial determination: Was Fuller killed by someone with facility access or by an external intruder? The answer carries massive implications for liability and trust.
Police have released no information about suspects, motives, or security footage. Fuller’s body was transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for autopsy, but results remain undisclosed. Crime Solvers of Montgomery County accepts anonymous tips with rewards ranging from $250 to $10,000 for information leading to arrest. The investigation’s opacity leaves more questions than answers about how an 87-year-old man met a violent end in a place designed to protect vulnerable seniors. The absence of arrests or identified suspects weeks after the shooting suggests detectives either lack evidence or are building a complex case against someone connected to the facility.
What This Means for Senior Living Safety
This homicide exposes vulnerabilities that should alarm anyone with elderly relatives in assisted living. Senior facilities operate on trust: families pay substantial fees believing their loved ones receive protection along with care. When that social contract breaks down through violence, the entire industry faces scrutiny. Access control, staff background checks, visitor screening, and emergency response protocols all demand examination. If Fuller was killed by someone with legitimate facility access, whether staff or resident, it reveals catastrophic failures in vetting or monitoring. If an outside perpetrator breached security, it demonstrates inadequate access controls.
The facility’s silence suggests potential legal exposure or ongoing cooperation with investigators who demanded discretion. Neither explanation comforts residents sharing hallways with an unknown killer or families questioning whether their relatives face danger. Fuller’s wealth and prominence guarantee this case attracts attention that typical elder abuse or neglect incidents never receive, potentially driving regulatory reforms the industry desperately needs. Common sense dictates that facilities housing vulnerable populations require security standards approaching those of other high-risk environments, yet many operate with minimal oversight beyond basic licensing requirements.
Sources:
Maine lawyer and philanthropist shot to death in Maryland
Millionaire killed at Potomac senior living facility
Death at Cogir Potomac senior living facility ruled homicide
