In the late morning of May 6, 2021, a burst of gunfire shattered the quiet of a Mount Vernon, New York street, tragically ending the life of 17-year-old Anthony Boyd Jr. The young man, a male who was on the cusp of graduating high school with plans to enlist in the army, was found with gunshot wounds to his chest on South 8th Avenue, just a short distance from his home.
Rushed to Montefiore Mount Vernon Hospital, he was pronounced dead, leaving a family and community to grapple with the sudden and violent loss.
The investigation into Anthony's death stretched on for nearly two years before a breakthrough came. In February 2023, the Mount Vernon Police Department announced the indictment of two local men, Tyrese White and Christopher Mills, both 20 years old at the time of the announcement. The two were charged with second-degree murder, first-degree robbery, and criminal possession of a weapon. At the time of their indictment, both White and Mills were already in custody on unrelated matters. The motive behind the deadly encounter was revealed to be a botched gun sale that Anthony had arranged with the two men.
The legal proceedings that followed brought a measure of justice, though not without heartache for Anthony's family. Tyrese White, identified as the shooter, ultimately pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter, a deal that spared him a potential life sentence for murder. He was sentenced to 21 years in prison. His accomplice, Christopher Mills, who was described as being friends with Anthony, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and first-degree robbery. However, as part of his agreement, the murder plea was vacated, and he was sentenced to 12 years in prison. During the sentencing, Anthony's mother expressed her profound grief and frustration, viewing the sentences as insufficient for the immense loss her family had suffered.
