On Christmas Day in 2021, a festive gathering in Hagerstown, Maryland, turned into a scene of tragedy with the death of Tristen Shifflett. A 37-year-old woman, Shifflett was fatally shot in the neck during a dispute with her boyfriend, Justin Kyle Marshall. The incident occurred at a residence on South Burhans Boulevard in the evening, with approximately 10 people present, including the couple's young son.
First responders found Shifflett wounded at the home and transported her to Meritus Medical Center, where she succumbed to her injuries.
Following the shooting, the 34-year-old Marshall fled the scene. Law enforcement quickly identified him as the suspect, and he was apprehended in the early hours of December 26th in Berkeley County, West Virginia. At the time of his arrest, Marshall already had an active arrest warrant for a separate assault incident involving Shifflett in Pennsylvania. After his capture, he was charged with first-degree murder and numerous other related charges. In the wake of the tragic event, Washington County Child Protective Services took custody of the couple's son and made arrangements for his care.
The investigation into Shifflett's death revealed a troubling history for Marshall. He had been released from prison about two years prior after being convicted of second-degree murder in a 2004 homicide that also occurred in Hagerstown. In that earlier case, he was involved in the beating death of a 46-year-old man. His prior conviction and the outstanding assault warrant painted a grim picture for law enforcement and prosecutors building the case against him for the death of Tristen Shifflett.
