SALISBURY, Md. - A Salisbury man has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the 2006 stabbing death of Denise Horsey, bringing a conviction in a case that went unsolved for nearly two decades.
The Wicomico County State’s Attorney’s Office says Tyrone Hughey, 44, entered the plea Oct. 20 in Wicomico County Circuit Court. Sentencing was postponed until January 2027.
On April 8, 2006, at about 6:15 a.m., Salisbury Police responded to reports of a woman screaming for help in an alley behind 306 Naylor Street. Officers found Horsey suffering from multiple stab wounds. She was taken to Peninsula Regional Medical Center, where she died. Horsey was 40.
Investigators could not develop enough evidence to prosecute anyone at the time, and the case eventually went cold.
In 2025, Salisbury Police launched a review of cold cases considered to have a strong potential for resolution, including Horsey’s killing. Detective D. Fairman led a new examination of the case, tracking down and re-interviewing witnesses from 2006 and locating new witnesses.
According to prosecutors, the new witnesses told detectives Hughey had admitted to killing Horsey and described his subsequent efforts to destroy evidence connected to the crime scene.
As WBOC previously reported, a Wicomico County grand jury indicted Hughey in September 2025 on first- and second-degree murder and assault charges.
At the time, Horsey’s daughter, Alisha Taylor, and niece, LaToya Deal, described relief and hope for justice after years without answers.
Wicomico County State’s Attorney Jamie Dykes credited investigators and the witnesses who came forward with helping resolve the case.
“This outcome is a testament to the dedication of the Salisbury Police Department investigators who refused to let Denise Horsey be forgotten,” Dykes said.
Hughey remains in custody pending sentencing. Prosecutors say he is already serving a lengthy prison sentence in an unrelated case.
Courtesy of the Wicomico County State's Attorney's Office
