In the early morning hours of July 18, 2014, a wave of violence shattered the quiet of a Buffalo, New York street, leaving a 36-year-old Black/African American man, Shamel Parker, dead. The incident, which also claimed the life of 29-year-old Tyneisha Pettiford, unfolded at approximately 2:15 a.m. near the intersection of Sycamore Street and Jefferson Avenue.
Parker and Pettiford were seated in Pettiford's gray Infiniti when an unknown assailant or assailants fired multiple shots into the vehicle.
The force of the gunfire caused the car to lurch forward, striking an SUV parked in a nearby driveway. When first responders arrived at the scene, they discovered both Parker and Pettiford had sustained fatal gunshot wounds. Pettiford, who was in the driver's seat, was reportedly pregnant at the time of her death. The brazen attack was part of a violent year in Buffalo, which saw a significant increase in homicides.
In the years that have passed since the double homicide, the investigation into the deaths of Shamel Parker and Tyneisha Pettiford has remained open but unsolved. Despite the efforts of the Buffalo Police Department and pleas to the public for information, no arrests have been made in connection with the killings. The case stands as one of many unsolved homicides in the city, a painful reminder of a life cut short and a family left without answers. Crime Stoppers of Western New York has offered a reward of up to $7,500 for information leading to the arrest and indictment of the person or persons responsible. Authorities continue to urge anyone with knowledge of the crime to come forward, hoping that a new lead might finally bring justice for Shamel Parker and Tyneisha Pettiford.
