On a spring evening in Wilkinsburg, the community was shaken by an act of violence that claimed the life of 37-year-old Cornell P. Lee Jr. on May 1, 2022. Just before 9:30 p.m., the sound of gunfire echoed in the 1400 block of Franklin Avenue. Lee was fatally wounded in the shooting and was transported to a local hospital by a private vehicle, where he was ultimately pronounced dead.
The incident marked the second shooting on that same street within a single week, leaving residents unsettled and concerned for their safety.
In the days that followed the tragic event, the investigation into Lee's death led to an arrest. On May 3, 2022, police took 16-year-old Devin Lee Martin into custody in connection with the homicide. Martin was subsequently charged with a litany of serious offenses, including criminal homicide, aggravated assault, robbery, conspiracy, and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. He was then incarcerated at the Allegheny County Jail to await legal proceedings.
Despite the initial arrest, the path to justice for Cornell Lee's family proved to be a complicated one. A year after the shooting, in May 2023, Lee's family revealed that Devin Lee Martin had been released from custody. They expressed their profound grief and frustration, stating that leads in the investigation had seemingly dried up. The family continues to hold out hope for new information that will lead to a conviction in Lee's case, organizing balloon releases and distributing flyers to keep his memory alive and encourage potential witnesses to come forward. Their plea for justice underscores the lingering pain and uncertainty that surrounds the unresolved case.
