Marcus Gerard Mosley, a 28-year-old Black man and graduate of Sun Valley High School, was killed in Burlington, North Carolina, on September 29, 2020. For his mother, Tina Sykes-Mosley, the five-year wait for a trial has been a "cruel burden no family should have to bear." She has spoken out about the pain of her loss and her frustration with a judicial system that she feels failed her son.
The shooting occurred in the 300 block of Foster Street.
Burlington police responded to the scene and found Marcus Mosley had been shot. He was rushed for medical treatment but later died from his injuries. An investigation into his death was immediately launched by the Burlington Police Department.
Within weeks, investigators made three arrests in connection with the killing. On October 15, 2020, police charged 28-year-old Jovanta Contavious Woods with first-degree murder. Just over a week later, on October 23, authorities arrested two more suspects: Patrick Boliva Richmond Jr., 20, and Daquan Deonte Hester, 23. Both Richmond and Hester were charged with first-degree murder and robbery with a dangerous weapon.
According to Marcus's mother, her son was murdered by three repeat offenders who were out on bond at the time of the crime. "Their freedom became their weapon," she said in a statement. "Had they been behind bars where they belonged, my son would still be alive today. His life... was stolen because of a system that refuses to hold violent offenders accountable."
As of September 2025, five years after Marcus Mosley's death, the case against one of the accused men was moving forward. Patrick Richmond Jr. was scheduled to stand trial for murder. The case remains in litigation.
