April 16, 2010 – 6:02am
The victim had a 2007 blue Nissan Xterra similar to this one. Police say it is missing. (Photo courtesy of Montgomery County Police)
SILVER SPRING, Md. – A well-regarded middle school principal is dead. Police are looking for your help in solving this suspicious death.
The victim is Brian Keith Betts, 42, of Silver Spring.
He’s the principal of Shaw Middle School at Garnet-Patterson in the District.
Betts was found dead in his home in the 9300 block of Columbia Boulevard. A co-worker found him at 7:37 p.m. Betts had not showed up for work Thursday.
Missing is the victim’s dark blue 2007 Nissan Xterra with Maryland registration 562M222.
Anyone who may have seen the victim’s Nissan Xterra are asked to call 301-279-8000. Anyone with information related to his death should call 240-773-5070 and may remain anonymous.
The home purchased by Betts in 2003 is the same home where two other murders occurred in August 2002.
Montgomery County Police Capt. Paul Starks tells WTOP there is “no known connection” between Betts and the other murder victims — George Gregory Russell, 47, and Erika Smith, 9.
Russell, the former deputy director of the Maryland Port Administration, had owned the home on Columbia Boulevard in 2002.
Smith, who lived with her mother in D.C., was visiting her dad for a week when they were killed by a man who broke into the home wearing a wig and beard.
Smith was beaten and shot in the back. Her father was shot eight times trying to save her.
Anthony Quintin Kelly, a convicted rapist, was found guilty of the murders of Smith and her father, who was .
It took nearly six years for Kelly’s case to go through the court system. His case was postponed for years because psychiatrists originally ruled that Kelly, who acted as his own lawyer, was unfit to stand trial.
Kelly was sentenced to three life terms plus 20 years for the murders.
Bates Area Civic Association 
Brian was a very good community partner and will be missed.