In a tragic turn of events stemming from a domestic dispute, 26-year-old Clifton “CJ” Burgess-Williams Jr., a male resident of Morrisville, Pennsylvania, was fatally shot on the evening of December 22, 2022. The incident that led to his death began days earlier when Breon D. McRae, 34, assaulted and strangled his girlfriend, who was Burgess-Williams Jr.'s sister. In the days that followed, Burgess-Williams Jr. defended his sister, leading to a confrontation with McRae.
On the night of the shooting, after another verbal altercation, McRae contacted his friend, 29-year-old Pacqi S. Lassiter of Trenton, New Jersey. Surveillance footage and cellphone data tracked Lassiter traveling to McRae's home, and then the two proceeded to Lenora Avenue, where Burgess-Williams Jr. resided. At approximately 8:39 p.m., as Burgess-Williams Jr. sat in a parked car with his sister, brother, and a friend, eight shots were fired into the vehicle. Burgess-Williams Jr. was struck and was later pronounced dead at a local hospital. In his final moments, he reportedly yelled for the other occupants to duck, an action that likely saved their lives.
The investigation, led by Bucks County Detectives, utilized surveillance footage, cellphone data, and witness testimony to piece together the events of that night. The case was presented to the Bucks County Investigating Grand Jury, which recommended charges in June 2023. McRae had been arrested in January 2023 on charges related to the assault of his girlfriend. While incarcerated, he attempted to intimidate her into not cooperating with detectives.
Following a two-week trial, on February 3, 2025, a Bucks County jury convicted both Breon D. McRae and Pacqi S. Lassiter of third-degree murder, conspiracy to commit third-degree murder, and other related charges. McRae was also found guilty of witness intimidation, terroristic threats, and simple assault. On March 14, 2025, both men were sentenced to 40 to 80 years in state prison. McRae received an additional consecutive sentence of 4 ½ to 9 years for witness intimidation, bringing his total sentence to 44 ½ to 89 years. The judge also ordered that neither man have any contact with the victim's family.
