On a spring evening in Bristol Township, what should have been a festive occasion as teenagers prepared for their high school prom turned into a scene of violence that claimed the life of 19-year-old Zyisean McDuffie. The events of May 4, 2018, stemmed from an ongoing feud between two rival neighborhood groups. That evening, McDuffie, along with his friend Tommy Ballard, also 19, and another individual named Jahmier Wilson, arrived in a gray Chrysler 300 at a home on Elmhurst Avenue where a
group of teenagers, including the son of Gary Goddard, were gathered.
An argument quickly escalated between Wilson and 19-year-old Joseph Williams. As tensions flared, McDuffie was seen 'flailing his fists and arms' at the group that included Goddard's son. Williams then pulled out a handgun and fired multiple shots. In the chaos that ensued, both McDuffie and Ballard were struck by bullets. As McDuffie lay wounded on the ground, Gary Goddard, 48, who had been alerted to the commotion, ran to the scene armed with his own handgun. Witnesses reported that Goddard stood over the injured McDuffie and shot him. Both McDuffie and Ballard were rushed to Jefferson Torresdale Hospital, where they were pronounced dead.
The investigation into the double homicide led to the arrests of both Joseph Williams and Gary Goddard. Williams was charged with two counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of McDuffie and Ballard, as well as the attempted murder of Jahmier Wilson. Goddard was charged with criminal homicide in McDuffie's death and possessing an instrument of crime. During the trial, prosecutors argued that the shootings were the tragic result of a neighborhood dispute that had spiraled out of control.
In March 2019, a Bucks County jury found Joseph Williams guilty of two counts of first-degree murder. He was subsequently sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison without the possibility of parole. Gary Goddard was found guilty of attempted murder for shooting McDuffie as he lay on the ground. He was sentenced to 12 and a half to 25 years in prison. The tragic deaths of Zyisean McDuffie and Tommy Ballard served as a grim reminder of the devastating consequences of gun violence and neighborhood conflicts.
