Long-time Towson adjunct identified as victim in fatal Baltimore stabbing

By Morgan Lane, Editor-in-Chief

A Towson University adjunct music professor was fatally stabbed on Tuesday at Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park in Baltimore.

Baltimore police identified the victim as 62-year-old John Dierker, who’d been teaching at the university since 2009, according to a university statement. He was pronounced dead at the scene after officers found him suffering stab wounds.

Dierker was listed to teach four jazz ensemble courses in the spring 2027 semester.

“John was a fixture in Baltimore’s vibrant jazz scene, an accomplished and well-respected improviser known for his inventive approach and dynamic energy,” the statement said. 

The incident occurred in the early afternoon on the 4500 block of N Franklintown Road, according to the Baltimore City public crime map.

In a published statement, the Friends of Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park called for a more “comprehensive safety plan” in the park, following the incident. 

“This incident is another reminder of the need for a comprehensive safety plan and coordinated strategies to ensure Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park remains a safe and welcoming place for everyone,” Friends of Gwynns Falls Leakin Park Executive Director Pickett Slater Harrington wrote in the statement.

No suspects have been identified. This is an ongoing investigation.