Martarvian Emery, a 21-year-old African American male, was tragically killed on April 26, 2014, in Chicago, IL. The incident occurred in the Back of the Yards neighborhood, where Emery was inside a home located in the 5400 block of South Winchester Avenue. At approximately 1:15 a.m., Otis Harriel, a 47-year-old man, fired a handgun into the second story of the building, striking Emery in the chest. Emery was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after.
The motive behind the shooting was linked to a robbery involving Harriel's daughter. On the evening of April 25, 2014, Emery and his sister were walking to a restaurant when Harriel's daughter approached them, asking where she could buy marijuana. Emery directed her to a house in the same neighborhood, where she was subsequently attacked, robbed at gunpoint, and pistol-whipped. Later that night, Harriel confronted Emery and a witness, demanding information about the robbery and threatening those responsible.
During the early hours of April 26, 2014, Harriel fired shots into the home where Emery and a 20-year-old woman were present. The woman, who was sleeping in a bedroom, was shot in the leg but survived the incident. Harriel was arrested about a month later, and ballistic tests confirmed that the bullets recovered from the victims and the crime scene matched the gun found in Harriel's possession.
Harriel was charged with first-degree murder and aggravated battery for discharging a firearm. He was later sentenced to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to the charges. Harriel had a criminal history dating back to 1985, including convictions for armed habitual criminal, possession of a controlled substance, burglary, manufacturing/delivery of cocaine, and possession of a stolen motor vehicle.
