The sister and brother-in-law of a builder sales rep shot to death outside a model home have started an online crowdfunding campaign to help support his wife and young daughters.
A week ago, Maryland police found 33-year-old Steven Bernard Wilson, a sales rep with Ryan Homes, dead outside a model home in the 7500 block of Newmanstown Drive in Hanover.
The suspect, 18-year-old Dillon Nicholas Augustyniak, has been held in custody on charges of first-degree murder and armed robbery. According to the police, Augustyniak shot Wilson while trying to rob the model home.
Steven Bernard Wilson
Wilson, who had been working for both Ryan Homes and a family company at the time of his death, leaves behind a wife, Jessica Wilson, and their two young girls. As a result, Wilson’s sister and brother-in-law have started a GoFundMe campaign to pay for his daughters’ education and support the family. The GoFundMe is seeking $150,000, and at the time of this article’s publication, has raised $87,416.
“We started this fundraiser to honor Steve’s memory by raising funds to ensure his daughters never have to worry about school tuition or education expenses,” Theresa and Leland Sampson wrote on the GoFundMe page.
Courtesy of GoFundMe (Steve Wilson Memorial Fund)
According to the Sampsons, Wilson had been born in Edgewater, Maryland and worked at a hardware store started by members of his family since graduating high school. He had been working for Ryan Homes since September 2017 and, as part of his job, marketed the latest model homes to homebuyers.
“Steve met Jessica, the love of his life, when he was just 23 and have been together ever since,” the GoFundMe page read. “[…] The way he spoke about her, with such love and affection, we were sure they would be together forever.”
As of Monday afternoon, people across the country had raised more than $90,000 for the Wilson family. Wilson’s death has sent waves of shock and sadness across the real estate community, with many drawing attention to the unexpected dangers agents and other professionals who work at empty houses face.