Ralph DeAngelus, his girlfriend of many years, and her son all lived together, for perhaps 15 years.

DeAngelous issued a statement at one point saying he had his lawyer call the police on the day after the accident to say the car was in his garage, as I recall. He also said the police did nothing for days after receiving the call.

Here is a statement made by Matt Ortt Companies on July 28, 2022:

As loving parents, as well as members of the extended Ocean Pines community, we remain heartbroken by the devastating and sudden loss of Gavin Knupp. There are no words to adequately convey our deepest and most sincere sympathies to the Knupp family and all who knew and cherished Gavin’s presence in their lives.

As difficult and seemingly inconsequential as it may seem, there are many questions we have been asked about the incident and our reaction. We feel we owe it to each of you to be transparent and lend perspective about what happened on that fateful evening and the days following. Please know, in no way do we want to distract from Gavin and his memory but simply respond in a timely manner to many who are asking serious questions and seeking answers.

This is what we know to be true:

• This matter is still under active criminal investigation, and we continue to do everything in our power to fully cooperate with law enforcement, prosecutors, and the broader criminal justice system.

• Neither Ralph DeAngelus nor his business partners were involved in the tragic accident on Grays Corner Road on July 11th.

• When Ralph DeAngelus was made aware of the accident on July 12th, he facilitated the immediate notification to authorities.

• Despite reaching out to the authorities on July 12th, police investigators did not actually contact the DeAngelus family attorney until July 15th. On that date, the attorney made arrangements with law enforcement to deliver the car to the Maryland State Police Berlin barracks.

• On July 17th, law enforcement officials executed a search and seizure warrant at the DeAngelus home to take the vehicle in question.

• As previously instructed by members of the legal community, the vehicle had been preserved in its original condition to not disrupt the integrity of the investigation.

• The Matt Ortt Companies has immediately responded to requests from investigators in the aftermath of this tragedy.

We, in the most sincere and humble manner possible, ask the Board be patient as members of law enforcement complete their investigation and determine how to assign accountability. As you can imagine, this is a terrible time. That said, we understand that the process is as important as the outcome.

Understandably, this unthinkable tragedy has created severe sadness in the greater Ocean Pines community. On behalf of our more than 400 caring and dedicated employees, we again convey our deepest sympathies to the Knupp family – our collective prayers remain. There is nothing more important than supporting the Knupp family during this time.

As always, if you or any member of the Board has any questions or needs clarification, please don’t hesitate to contact our leadership team.

– The Partners of Matt Ortt Companies

Then in November of 2022, Matt Ortt issued the following statement:

“In the days following the devastating and sudden loss of Gavin Knupp, I made a terrible mistake by blindly and publicly advocating for my long-term business partner, Ralph DeAngelus,” said Matt Ortt Companies co-founder Matt Ortt. “I issued a supportive written statement that was based solely on my trust in Mr. DeAngelus without contemplating the deep-seated pain my stance would cause. My actions were insensitive, inappropriate and showed very poor judgement. In hindsight, I should have waited until independently verified investigative facts were available before offering an opinion. I deeply apologize and regret my actions. I have always, and very firmly believed, that anyone who is directly involved in, or who has any information about the accident, should immediately come forward and communicate what they know to authorities. There is nothing more important than full disclosure and accountability.”

This was about the time DeAngelus left the company.

With regard to your initial question, when you or anyone discovers why humans react in different ways to tragic events, let me know.

While you or I may not understand exactly why some want a boycott, we should also wonder why some would want to attack the dead boy's mother.