Cedric L. Mack, a 41-year-old man from Duquesne, tragically lost his life on December 18, 2019, in Pittsburgh, PA. Mack was fatally shot in the head while exiting a friend's car on the North Side of Pittsburgh, near the intersection of Norwood and Kennedy avenues. The incident occurred in the afternoon, and Mack's friend, Ashley Strong, who was driving, was also injured in the shooting.
Strong testified that she saw a man walk up behind Mack and shoot him in the back of the head.
The investigation into Mack's death led to the arrest of Maurice Demond King, a 29-year-old man from Turtle Creek. King was charged with first-degree murder, aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, carrying a firearm without a license, and tampering with evidence. The prosecution's case against King included video surveillance footage, license plate camera readers, and witness statements. Police were able to track King through the snow back to the Steelworkers Towers Apartments on Perrysville Avenue, where he was seen disposing of clothing in a trash chute.
King's trial began in September 2023, and after less than two hours of deliberation, the jury found him guilty of first-degree murder. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The trial revealed that King had signed in to the apartment building that morning under the name "Reese," and he was visiting his grandmother at the time. The prosecution argued that King used the building as his base and changed his clothes after the shooting.
The tragic death of Cedric Mack and the subsequent legal proceedings against Maurice Demond King highlight the devastating impact of gun violence and the importance of thorough investigations in bringing perpetrators to justice.
