In the early hours of October 25, 2022, the life of 37-year-old Timothy Parker, known as 'TJ,' was cut short in a hail of bullets in the hallway of his East Harlem apartment building. The fatal shooting, which occurred around 2:30 a.m. in the George Washington Houses complex on East 102nd Street, was not a random act of violence but the culmination of a meticulously planned execution.
Parker was pronounced dead at the scene from gunshot wounds to his head and chest.
The investigation into Parker's death revealed a conspiracy rooted in a dispute over drug money. Terrence Haynes, who was incarcerated at the time, orchestrated the murder from behind bars. Haynes believed Parker owed him money from their joint drug dealing operations and, in a series of jailhouse phone calls, conspired with Shaun McClam and Luis Roman to have him killed.
In the days leading up to the murder, McClam and Roman took steps to carry out the plan. McClam surveilled Parker's apartment building, even recording video of the hallway and of Parker himself. On the night of the shooting, Roman provided McClam with a gun. Disguised as a delivery worker and wearing a black wig, McClam rode an e-bike to Parker's building, where he lurked for hours, changing his appearance to avoid detection. Finally, in the early morning, McClam confronted Parker outside his apartment and shot him multiple times.
Following an investigation, Shaun McClam, 41, and Luis Roman, 29, were arrested in June 2023. They were both charged with murder in the second degree. Terrence Haynes, 43, was charged with conspiracy in the second degree for his role in planning the killing. In January 2025, McClam pleaded guilty to Murder in the Second Degree and Conspiracy in the Second Degree. Roman pleaded guilty to Manslaughter in the First Degree and Conspiracy in the Second Degree. McClam is expected to be sentenced to 20 years to life in prison, while Roman is expected to receive a 13-year sentence. The case against Terrence Haynes is still pending.
