In the early hours of a Tuesday morning in Baltimore, the life of Marvin Keith Mason II, a 31-year-old father and student, was tragically cut short. On December 3, 2019, at approximately 2:44 a.m., police responded to the 2400 block of West Baltimore Street to investigate a shooting. There, they discovered Marvin Mason II in the driver's seat of his car, suffering from a gunshot wound to his chest.
He was rushed to a nearby trauma center but succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead within an hour.
The investigation into Mason's death revealed a tragic story of a planned robbery. Authorities determined that he was targeted by three individuals. Martez Frye-Cuff and Reuben McFadden had planned to rob Mason, and a third individual, Dneah Smith, provided her residence as a base of operations for the crime. Mason was lured to the location under a false pretense. During the course of the robbery, Reuben McFadden shot Mason in the chest.
Following an investigation, three suspects were arrested and charged in connection with the murder of Marvin Mason II. Martez Frye-Cuff, Dneah Smith, and Reuben McFadden faced charges including first-degree murder and firearms offenses. In the ensuing legal proceedings, Martez Frye-Cuff pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. He was sentenced to life in prison, with all but 25 years suspended. Dneah Smith, who was initially charged with murder and robbery, pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of being an accessory after the fact and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. The third suspect, Reuben McFadden, who is accused of being the shooter, was also charged with murder, conspiracy to commit murder, robbery, and firearms offenses and was awaiting trial.
