A Lancaster County judge sentenced a man to 27 to 54 years in state prison yesterday after a jury found him guilty earlier this year of shooting and killing a Baltimore man along a Brecknock Township highway.

Judge Craig Stedman handed down the sentence to Kevin Shareed Harmon, of Gwynn Oak, Md.. A jury had found Harmon guilty in March of third-degree murder, theft by unlawful taking and firearms not to be carried without a license for killing 54-year-old Miguel Vazquez-Ruiz near the southbound shoulder of State Route 222 during the early morning hours of April 23, 2023.

Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Ponessa, who prosecuted the case, called Harmon, 38, “an absolute liar” who told “lie after lie” to investigators and the jury, putting blame on the Vazquez-Ruiz for his own death in order to absolve himself of the crime.

“He concealed evidence,” Ponessa told the court. “He concealed himself. All to get away with murdering someone.” 

Though the jury acquitted Harmon of the more serious offenses of first- and second-degree murder, Ponessa noted that they did not find his testimony claiming that he acted in self defense credible and still found him guilty of murder as opposed to manslaughter.

Harmon shot Vazquez-Ruiz five times, including a final shot as he laid on the ground that a medical expert testified during the trial was delivered “execution-style.” Ponessa noted that Harmon admitted in his own testimony during the trial that Vazquez-Ruiz was “crawling on the ground” when he fired the final shot.

Not only did Harmon not attempt to help Vazquez-Ruiz after shooting him, Ponessa said, but he took the time to rifle through his pockets and belongings as he died to steal more than $2,000 in cash, then sent “shockingly cold” texts to his son about being able to pay his rent and go shopping.

Two of Vazquez-Ruiz’s brothers urged the court to impose a tough sentence, asking how a life could be taken to settle someone’s rent. 

“For $1,900 I can never see my brother again,” one of Vazquez-Ruiz’s older brothers told the court.

In arguing for a tough sentence Ponessa noted that the murder weapon and a gun that Harmon claimed in his testimony that Vazquez-Ruiz wielded have never been found, further placing the community at risk of danger.

Stedman agreed, calling Harmon’s actions “beyond stupid” and lamenting the lack of words capable of describing the senselessness of the crime. Stedman in particular described Harmon’s act of stealing money from Vazquez-Ruiz as he died “despicable.”

Prior to being sentenced Harmon’s mother said he was a “very active father” of eight children from eight different mothers and asked that the court impose a sentence that would allow him to one day return to his family. 

Speaking on his own behalf, Harmon told the court he had “remorse” for Vazquez-Ruiz and his family and asked for forgiveness and “another chance.”

After killing Vazquez-Ruiz and taking the money Harmon left his corpse lying mere feet from the road where it was discovered hours later by State Police. A resident who lives half a mile from where Vazquez-Ruiz’s body was found heard several gunshots shortly after 2 a.m.

Texts and voice messages Harmon sent to his son indicated he was struggling with finances and unable to pay his rent. In the hours after the murder, Harmon suddenly made numerous large transactions.

In one voice message, sent mere minutes after the killing, Harmon told his son he “just got some extra cash because of this ride.”

Vazquez-Ruiz’s fiancé told police he had departed their shared Baltimore residence hours before his death with several thousands of dollars in cash. 

Investigators quickly identified Harmon as a suspect, using surveillance footage from outside Vazquez-Ruiz’s home and multiple other locations to identify his vehicle as the one Vazquez-Ruiz was seen entering before his death. When Baltimore County police first arrested Harmon they found dark clothing he had been seen wearing on the night of the killing, though the murder weapon itself was never recovered.

When first questioned by police Harmon claimed Vazquez-Ruiz, his passenger, was suddenly shot and killed by two unknown perpetrators in another vehicle. A terrified Harmon panickily left Vazquez-Ruiz to die as he fled for his life, he claimed. 

DNA evidence pointed to Harmon as the person who fired the shots that killed Vazquez-Ruiz. A State Police K9 identified residue on the center console of Harmon’s car that was later determined to have been produced from a gun being fired. Additional gunshot residue as well as Vazquez-Ruiz’s blood was found on boots seized from Harmon’s residence. 

As part of his sentence Harmon must pay more than $6,500 in restitution.

Pennsylvania State Police Trooper George Lockhart filed the charges.