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ANNAPOLIS — Gov. Martin O'Malley on Friday reiterated his confidence in Department of Juvenile Services Secretary Donald W. DeVore, a day after House Minority Leader Anthony J. O'Donnell called for the secretary's resignation.

In calling for the resignation, O'Donnell cited the killing of a teacher at the Cheltenham Youth Facility in Upper Marlboro. Hannah Wheeling, 65, of Bel Air was found beaten to death outside a building at the facility on Feb. 18.

O'Malley issued a statement Thursday saying he had "full confidence" in DeVore.

He expanded on that during a Friday morning news conference, speaking candidly about DeVore's job performance for the first time since receiving a hand-delivered letter from O'Donnell.

"I think Don DeVore has done an excellent job of fixing a very, very broken [system], arguably one of the worst juvenile justice systems in the country," O'Malley (D) said.

Juvenile homicides are down under DeVore's leadership, O'Malley said.

"This year we've had zero," he said. "Last year at this time we had 13. And that work would not have happened without Don DeVore's leadership —often in ways that nobody ever sees."

Greg Shipley, spokesman for the Maryland State Police, said Thursday the investigation continues into the Cheltenham killing, and no charges have been filed.

The number of children shot and the number of children placed in out-of-state facilities has declined as part of an initiative to treat children at home, the governor said.

"I'll confess to you, there's a long way to go," he said. "But I ordered Don DeVore to focus on saving juvenile lives. That's our No. 1 priority."

O'Malley said O'Donnell called him before going public with the resignation demand.

The governor touted capital investments made in sharing information about juvenile offenders with the District of Columbia and with schools and law enforcement agencies, and in using GPS bracelets to track juvenile offenders.

"All of those things are making a difference," O'Malley said, adding that he "look[s] forward to talking with the minority leader further."