A trivial argument over a clogged and overflowing toilet ended in the tragic death of 28-year-old Keyan Francis, a Black male from East Harlem, on the morning of March 26, 2022. The fatal encounter occurred inside a 14th-floor apartment in the Morris Houses, a public housing development on Washington Avenue in the Bronx.
Police responded to a 911 call around 10:45 a.m. and discovered Francis unconscious and unresponsive with a gunshot wound to his chest.
Emergency medical services rushed him to St. Barnabas Hospital, but his life could not be saved, and he was pronounced dead. Investigators learned that what began as a verbal dispute between Francis and his roommate, Christopher Machicote, escalated with shocking speed. Witnesses in the building reported hearing the argument just before the sound of a gunshot.
The investigation quickly pointed to Machicote, who was on parole for a prior attempted robbery conviction at the time of the shooting. He was arrested and subsequently charged with murder, manslaughter, and criminal possession of a weapon for his alleged role in Francis's death. Following his arraignment, Machicote was held without bail. Police also indicated they were looking for a second individual in connection with the crime, described as a light-skinned woman, though no further details about her involvement or identity were publicly released. The apartment where the deadly argument took place was reportedly known as a gathering spot for gang members, adding another layer to the ongoing investigation.
