Woman's Death in November Ruled a Homicide

The death of a Baltimore woman who had been involved in an argument with her boyfriend at his Pikesville home in November has been ruled a homicide by the state office of the chief medical examiner, Baltimore County police said in a statement.

Gwendolyn Jackson,  44, of the 5200 block of St. Charles Avenue, died Nov. 23 at Johns Hopkins Hospital after being taken there with injuries, including to her head, according to police. Her boyfriend, Herbert Westley Johnson, 52, is already in custody facing charges of first- and second-degree assault with additional charges pending, police said.

Police had received a call from Jackson at 9:40 p.m. on Nov. 21 from Johnson's home in the 4600 block of Chickory Lane in Pikesville.

"The victim called 911 to report that she and her boyfriend ... had gotten into a verbal argument," the release states.

However, Jackson and Johnson both told police that "no physical contact had occurred at that time," according to the police statement.

The next morning, officers from the Pikesville precinct went to Northwest Hospital because Jackson had been admitted for a head injury, the release states. While there, Jackson told hospital staff that her boyfriend assaulted her, police said.

"The victim’s condition deteriorated and she was transferred to Johns Hopkins Hospital due to her condition," according to the release.

Jackson died Nov. 23 and after an autopsy, on Dec. 15, the medical examiner's office notified police about its ruling that her death was the result of a homicide.

Johnson was arrested at the hospital on  Nov. 22 and charged with the first- and second-degree assault offenses, the police release states. He is being held without bail at the Baltimore County Detention Center as detectives continue to investigate.