Joshua LaDale Pittman, a 37-year-old male of African American ethnicity from Waco, Texas, tragically died on December 23, 2015. He was shot and killed inside the Pick N Pay Food Mart at 504 Faulkner Lane. The incident was part of a murder-for-hire plot.
During the investigation, it was revealed that Pittman had been involved in committing multiple robberies. Detectives believe that Pittman had set up Keith Spratt to be robbed and also robbed Tyler Sherrod Clay.
Investigators concluded that the robbery victims conspired to murder Pittman. Tyler Clay solicited Keith Spratt for the murder of Pittman.
On June 30, 2017, Tyler Sherrod Clay, 28, and Keith Antoine Spratt, 28, were arrested and charged with capital murder. Clay was arrested at his smoke shop, while Spratt was spotted walking in the area of 10th and Colcord. The case went to trial, and in 2025, a jury found Tyler Clay guilty of capital murder. The judge is currently reviewing a defense request for a mistrial.
The tragic death of Joshua LaDale Pittman led to a complex legal battle, highlighting issues of robbery, conspiracy, and murder-for-hire. The case remains a significant event in Waco's legal history.
