In the early evening of May 10, 2021, a burst of gunfire shattered the calm on the 1100 block of Washington Boulevard in Baltimore's Pigtown neighborhood. When the echo of the shots faded, 43-year-old Larry Alvin Randall Jr., a male, lay grievously wounded. Police were called to the scene shortly before 7 p.m. and found Randall suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
He was rushed to a nearby hospital, but his injuries proved to be fatal, and he was pronounced dead.
The investigation into Randall's death led detectives to review video surveillance from businesses in the area, including a local bar. The footage captured a black Mercedes with Delaware tags pulling up alongside Randall as he stood in the street. An individual inside the vehicle opened fire on him. The assailant then reportedly exited the car and shot Randall again as he lay on the ground. This cold and calculated act was the focus of the ensuing homicide investigation.
Within days, authorities identified a suspect, Levar Cooper, a resident of Baltimore. The investigation revealed that the Mercedes used in the shooting had been lent to Cooper by a family friend. This individual became a key witness for the prosecution. Police also discovered Cooper's fingerprint on the vehicle, and analysis of his cell phone data placed him in the vicinity of the murder around the time it occurred. Based on this evidence, Cooper was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and four weapons offenses in connection with the killing of Larry Randall.
Levar Cooper's case proceeded to the Baltimore City Circuit Court, where he has maintained his innocence. His legal journey has been marked by a series of trials. The first trial took place in September 2022, more than a year after the incident. A second trial followed in 2023, but both ended in mistrials, prolonging the quest for justice for Larry Randall. A third retrial was scheduled to commence in April 2024. During the legal proceedings, the prosecution has presented the video evidence and the testimony of the man who loaned Cooper the car. The defense, in turn, has sought to challenge the credibility of this key witness, arguing that he was under the influence of drugs on the day of the murder and questioning his reliability.
