SNOW HILL, Md. - The former executive director of Snow Hill’s Julia A. Purnell Museum has been sentenced after pleading guilty to stealing thousands from the museum over years.
According to court documents acquired by WBOC, Dr. Cynthia Byrd was initially charged with ten counts of varying degrees of felony theft scheme while serving as the director. Prosecutors alleged the thefts began as early as 2016 and continued into 2024.
The Julia A. Purnell Museum features exhibits highlighting the history of the southern Eastern Shore from the 16th century to the 20th century. Established in 1942, it is named for a Snow Hill native known for her embroidery, quilts, and needle arts.
The case against Byrd was first opened in May of 2025. She pleaded guilty in August to one count theft scheme: $25,000 to under $100,000.
In a victim impact statement submitted in court ahead of Byrd’s sentencing and obtained by WBOC, a member of the Julia Purnell Museum Board of Directors says the museum had to be closed for 18 months due to the financial losses.
“When I learned what was happening at the museum - and it unfolded slowly, taking months for us to realize the extent of the damage Dr. Byrd has caused - I was shocked, hurt, enraged, and ultimately, heart-broken,” the board member wrote to the Worcester County Circuit Court judge overseeing Byrd’s trial. “Absolutely heart-broken. Dr. Byrd betrayed all of us.”
A grand reopening of the museum was held on Nov. 1, 2025.
“The financial damage to the museum is obvious,” an officer with the Friends of the Julia A. Purnell Museum wrote to the court. “We are essentially starting over, with minimal funding, but also no financial records. Board members have spent countless hours trying to track down accounts, verify information, and tally the damage done. Much of the money Dr. Byrd stole is from taxpayers and direct donations from friends and neighbors.”
Snow Hill officials also submitted a victim impact statement, as the museum is owned by the town and the executive director is selected by the mayor with the approval of the Town Council. Town Manager Richard Pollitt underscored that while the monetary loss was significant, he said the theft also dealt a blow to Snow Hill’s reputation.
“In conclusion, this terribly unusual and unfortunate event has had a dramatic effect in many areas; time and money spent on legal matters and staff resources, the public’s trust and confidence in their government, lost revenue to the Town and the Museum program, challenges to the recovery and restoration of the Museum’s operations and future viability, and the list goes on,” Pollitt wrote.
On Friday, Nov. 21, Byrd was sentenced to 10 years behind bars with all but 18 months suspended, according to court records. She will also be required to serve five years under supervised probation and was ordered to pay a total restitution of $97,316.87.
Worcester County State's Attorney