Robert Vicosa, ex Baltimore police officer found dead with daughters and suspected accomplice

The bodies of a former police officer, and the two daughters he was accused of kidnapping have been recovered by police.

A former Baltimore Country policeman, Robert Vicosa who was accused of kidnapping his six and seven-year-old daughters, Aaminah and Gianna, has been found dead in a car, along with his suspected accomplice Sergeant Tia Bynum.

All four people were found dead in the stolen vehicle following a five-day manhunt for Vicosa, 42, after he was accused of violently assaulting his estranged wife and taking his daughters from her home in Pennsylvania.

Robert Vicosa (left) and Tia Bynum (right) both worked for the Baltimore Country police. Picture: Supplied.

While authorities attempted to rush one of the girls to Meritus Medical Centre in Hagerstown in Maryland, she was pronounced dead at the hospital.

According to CBS Local, it’s believed Vicosa was assisted by Bynum who also worked for Baltimore Country Police.

The bodies of Vicosa, Bynum, Aaminah and Gianna were found by authorities in Western Maryland (more than a three hours drive from Pennsylvania) after Pennsylvania State Police pursued the stolen vehicle down the Ringgold Pike state highway.

Officers say the car ran off the road and into a fence line despite multiple attempts to make contact with Vicosa.

Sources now say Robert Vicosa, Tia Bynum and Vicosa's 2 children are all dead. Search for the former Baltimore County officer ended in Washington Co this afternoon after car he was using was found along the road pic.twitter.com/aRfRaZerfy

— Jayne Miller (@jemillerwbal) November 18, 2021

Speaking to WBAL TV, Chief Timothy Damon said the vehicle began to drive erratically after police made calls for the car to stop.

“During that erratic driving, the vehicle eventually drifted off the roadway and came to a stop,” he said.

“The Maryland State Police arrived and assisted the other agencies on scene and approached the vehicle.

“Upon approach of the vehicle, they found multiple fatalities inside the vehicle.”

It’s believed Mr Vicosa kidnapped his daughters Aaminah and Gianna from his estranged wife on Sunday. Picture: Supplied.

Inside the five-day manhunt for Vicosa

Maryland and Pennsylvania investigators accused Vicosa of kidnapping his daughters on Sunday after he held his wife hostage at gunpoint for 24 hours.

On Tuesday, a woman in Red Lion Borough, Pennsylvania, reported she had been held hostage, after which Vicosa drove off with her car (a Volkswagen Jetta), phone and blankets. The car was later found abandoned.

Police later traced Vicosa’s phone to Bynum’s property however they found no evidence of him or the children upon inspecting her home. Despite this, both Bynum and her car were missing.

Baltimore County police later announced Vicosa and Bynum had allegedly committed a kidnapping and armed carjacking on Wednesday on a man in West Maryland.

Although they released the man unharmed, police said they first made him drive them to several locations across Baltimore – another city in the state of Maryland.

This also led to a county-wide school lockout across Baltimore which meant external doors had to be secured and people were banned from entering or leaving the premises without permission.

The search for Robert Vicosa, Tia Bynum and his two children who police say he kidnapped is over. There is a large police presence in Smithsburg, Maryland near an apparent crash. @WGALpic.twitter.com/1EzIyQncFR

— Susan Shapiro (@susanWGAL) November 18, 2021

‘They do not need to be involved in this’: Cops issue plea to Vicosa

Speaking to media on Thursday, Mr Damon pleaded with Vicosa and Bynum to return the children safely.

“I want to plead to Rob that we would like you to put Gigi and Mina in a safe place, where we can ensure their safe return and safety overall,” said Mr Damon. “They do not need to be involved in this, and we want to ensure that the two girls, your girls, are safe.”

Addressing Bynum directly, Baltimore County Police Chief Melissa Hyatt asked her to take the children to a safe location.

“You can drop them off at a public safety facility or any other safe location with a responsible adult to care for them,” said Ms Hyatt.

“Their wellbeing and safety is everyone’s priority. We know that you are tired. We want to work with you on a safe and peaceful resolution.”

Later that day, however, they would recover the bodies of Vicosa, Bynum, Aaminah and Giann.

Developing: huge presence of law enforcement in Ringgold MD focused on a crashed car. Sources say authorities had been tracking fmr Baltimore Co cop Robert Vicosa, current cop Tia Bynum through Washington Co.
Vicosa took his two children from PA
Awaiting details pic.twitter.com/mRvARizHpW

— Jayne Miller (@jemillerwbal) November 18, 2021

Terminated from the force: Vicosa’s prior incident

According to ABC 27, Vicosa was terminated from the Baltimore County Police Department following six disciplinary incidents on his record.

This included two incidents where he failed to show up for court and improper conduct against three female subordinate officers where he viewed inappropriate videos in their presence, made inappropriate sexual remarks, and was accused of leering.

In 2019, he faced a trial board recommended he be terminated after finding him guilty on five of the six allegations.

As a result he was demoted from Sergeant to Officer, however in 2021 he was accused of sleeping on the job twice and refusing to perform his duties. As a result he was terminated in August.

Prior to this incident, Bynum had also received one disciplinary incident for crashing a department vehicle in 2013.