In the early hours of a Tuesday morning in Lexington, Kentucky, the life of 24-year-old Tai’Maricus Warner was tragically cut short. Just after midnight on March 11, 2025, Warner was fatally shot on the 400 block of Ohio Street. Despite the quick response of medical personnel, he was pronounced dead at the scene, having sustained gunshot wounds to his head and chest.
This violent act marked the city's fifth homicide of the year.
The investigation into Warner's death led authorities to two suspects: 32-year-old Phillip McElroy and 26-year-old Marquise Clark. Surveillance footage from a nearby residence captured the two men wearing masks and gloves shortly after the shooting. McElroy was identifiable due to distinctive tattoos on his face and neck that matched previous arrest records. He was taken into custody on March 14. Later, on March 26, Clark was apprehended in Michigan. Investigators also recovered a Glock firearm in the vicinity where the suspects were seen on video. Ballistic testing confirmed that it was the weapon used in the shooting. While the motive for the killing remains under investigation, both men have been charged in connection with Warner's death.
During a court hearing, Warner's mother, Sherricka Warren, confronted Phillip McElroy, calling him a 'coward.' In a powerful statement, she expressed the profound loss her family has endured, telling McElroy that he not only took her son but also the family's heart. McElroy, who is being held on a $750,000 bond for the murder charge, has also faced further legal trouble while incarcerated, having been charged with first-degree assault for allegedly stabbing another inmate. The case against both him and Clark is proceeding through the court system.
