Detectives from the Montgomery County Police Major Crimes Division – Homicide/Sex Section are continuing to investigate the deaths of Renee Bowman’s two adopted daughters, Jasmine Nicole Bowman, age 9, and Minnet Cecila Bowman, age 11, who were found in a freezer in Calvert County on September 27.
Their deaths are being investigated as homicides and the Medical Examiner’s office have determined that the girls were both asphyxiated.
Montgomery County Police are continuing to work in cooperation with detectives from the Calvert Investigative Team, as a joint investigation is being conducted into the circumstances surrounding the homicides of the two children. While the bodies were discovered in Calvert County, detectives believe the deaths occurred in Montgomery County.
Detectives have confirmed that Bowman lived in Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, Charles County and Calvert County, as well as Washington, D.C.
The investigation began on Friday, Sept. 26, 2008, when CIT members initiated a child abuse investigation that involved the arrest of Renee Bowman, 43, of the 700 block of Buckskin Trail in Lusby. On Sept. 27, CIT investigators executed a search warrant in conjunction with the child abuse investigation at the Buckskin Trail residence. During the search they found the children’s bodies in a freezer located in the basement of the residence.
 | Calvert Sheriff Mike Evans
called the evidence at the
Lusby crime scene the
worst he has seen in 30
years in law enforcement. |
On Sept. 30, the investigation into the Bowman case moved to Montgomery County. Officers there, searched Bowman's Rockville residence for more clues into the case which was broken by Calvert County Deputies on Sept. 26. Officer Melanie Brenner, Montgomery County Police Public Information Spokeperson reports that during the search of Bowman's residence where she lived from 2005 through Nov. 2007, there was fresh dirt or moved dirt in the back yard of the residence. Montgomery police proceeded to dig up the area searching for additional evidence in the investigation. According to Brenner, the results from the Coroner's office in Baltimore have not yet been release. She also reports that at this time, Montogomery County authorities have not assumed complete control of the investigation. However, Calvert Sheriff Mike Evans said, "We are done with the investigation here in Calvert. Unless Montgomery County turns the investigation back to us, they will be in charge of any further developments."
On Sept. 26, Calvert County Sheriff’s Office units responded to a residence on Pawnee Trail in Lusby in reference to a found child. The child, a 7-year-old female, showed signs of extreme abuse and neglect.
Upon further investigation the officers determined that the child had escaped from her residence on Buckskin Tr., Lusby, Calvert County, Maryland, by jumping out the second story window. The victim had been left unattended in the home and locked in her room. On Sept. 28, Calvert County Sheriff Mike Evans reported that the 7-year-old is being treated in the Children's Hospital in Washington, D.C. When released, she will be placed in a home in Calvert Coutny.
The victim’s adopted mother, Renee Bowman, a 43-year-old female from Lusby, responded to the Sheriff’s Office after learning they had picked up the victim. She confessed to beating the victim with a “hard heeled shoe”. Renee Bowman is currently incarcerated at the Calvert County Detention Center on first degree child abuse and first degree assault charges.
While members of the Calvert Investigative Team were executing a search warrant on the residence to locate evidence of the abuse, they found human remains inside a drop freezer in the basement of the residence.
It was learned that Renee Bowman had adopted three female children from the District of Columbia. The  | The 7-year-old girl escaped from this
house on Friday night. On Saturday,
Calvert deputies executed a search
warrant discovering a freezer
in the basement containing human
remains. Acording to Evans, "There
was feces and urine everywhere. The
house was nasty." |
whereabouts of two of the children are unknown. While interviewing Bowman she indicated that the remains located within the freezer were that of her two other adopted daughters. Bowman advised that the remains had been in the freezer since she moved from Rockville, Montgomery County. Renee Bowman moved to Lusby, Calvert County, in February 2008.
Due to the condition of the remains frozen within the freezer the Medical Examiners Office requested the entire freezer be brought to Baltimore so the evidence could be removed.
At this time investigators are unsure whose remains or how many remains are contained in the freezer. The Calvert Investigative Team is working in conjunction with the Montgomery County Police who are assigning investigators from their Major Crimes Division – Homicide/Sex Crimes Section to continue the investigation.
Anyone with information relating to this crime please contact The Maryland State Police Prince Frederick Barrack – (410) 535-1400 or The Calvert County Sheriff’s Office – (410) 535-2800.
For Possible Reward call Crime Solvers – (410) 535-2880 (Anonymous calls)
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