Officials believe the teen, Nicholas Browning, shot his father, mother, and brothers with one of his father's guns on Friday, then tossed the handgun in some bushes and left.
A judge denied bail for the teen yesterday, though his attorneys cited a good academic background and lack of a prior criminal record in seeking to have bail set at $1 million.
Authorities said friends dropped Nicholas off on Saturday and soon after, he came out of the house to say he had found his father's body on the ground floor. He then called 911.
"A caller reported to 911 that a 45-year-old male was lying on the couch with blood coming out of his nose. He was not breathing," charging documents said.
Shortly before 5 p.m., officers found Nicholas's father dead in a ground-floor room and his mother and brothers' bodies in upstairs bedrooms. They also found the gun.
The victims were John, 45; Tamara, 44; Gregory, 13, and Benjamin, 11.
Police said Nicholas confessed early Sunday and was charged as an adult with four counts of first-degree murder.
Nicholas had not been getting along with his father, police said in a news release, but investigators offered no other details. There was no sign of a confrontation at the house, police said.
John Browning, a real estate lawyer, had worked in Baltimore County's oldest law firm for nearly 20 years. He was a scoutmaster and a church leader.
Nicholas, who was working toward becoming an Eagle Scout, had built a prayer garden at his church to meet one of the requirements. His high school was one of the best in the county.
John Browning led camping, rock climbing, and whitewater expeditions for his Boy Scout troop. The family also hosted meetings for scouts' parents at their home.
"John was a wonderful man. He and his wife, Tammy, were very much in love. Together they were caring and loving parents to their children," his law partners said in a statement. "John was also a man of much faith. And he so much enjoyed the outdoors."
READER COMMENTS »
View reader comments » Comment on this story »