WICOMICO COUNTY, Md. -- Monday, May 8th, was bittersweet for the Wicomico County Sheriff's Office. After the jury handed down a guilty verdict on all counts for Austin Davidson, it was a mixed bag of emotions for those who worked with Hilliard.
Wicomico County Sheriff Mike Lewis said he is relieved the Hilliard family and the law enforcement family finally have some closure. He had a lot of praise for the prosecution and their preparation for this case. Lewis also had some harsh words for Davidson.
After the verdict was handed down and after court adjourned, Sheriff Lewis walked in stride down the courthouse steps with Hilliard's widow, Tashica. Lewis' face was stern, his voice steady, and his words, powerful.
"This chapter of this 11 month old ordeal that we have endured here in Wicomico County, and quite frankly this entire region, I just hope it brings some closure to our Hilliard family, to our law enforcement family," said Lewis.
Lewis said Monday was proof our justice system, while imperfect, does work.
"It exemplifies what is best about our justice system, you got to have faith in the system, while we are far from being perfect, in fact we are very imperfect," said Lewis. "But this is the best criminal justice system we have anywhere else in the world."
Lewis went on to say he and his officers had faith the entire time the jury would do the right thing and he thinks the jury got it right on every single count.
Captain Rich Wiersberg also took comfort in the guilty conviction.
"What's going through my head is a sense of relief, for our law enforcement family and then for his family as a whole," said Wiersberg. "I think later on the rest will hit more personal."
Relief was only a sliver of the emotions felt by the Wicomico County Sheriff's Office. Lewis' message for Davidson did not leave much to the imagination.
"To be honest with you, I hope he suffers the most inhumane life of anybody for the rest of his living days, I truly do," said Lewis. "Because this man absolutely tried to destroy our community and he's left one hell of a wake."
Lewis ended with praise for what he called the dynamic duo of State's Attorney Jamie Dykes and Senior Assistant State's Attorney Patrizia Coletta.
"These two women took on this case from day one and together they prepped for the last 11 months," said Lewis. "They executed their plan with precision and they've not only made this entire law enforcement community proud, but they've made this entire region proud."
An emotional day after a dramatic week in court, ending 11 long months of seeking justice for Corporal Glenn Hilliard.