In the quiet, rural town of Fort Ann, New York, the evening of May 22, 2025, was shattered by the sound of gunfire on Clay Hill Road. Responding to reports of shots fired, New York State Police and Washington County Sheriff's Office deputies arrived to a grim scene around 9:00 p.m. Two young men were found lying in the roadway with life-threatening gunshot wounds. One of these men was Marcus J. Macaulay, a 19-year-old male from the nearby city of Glens Falls.
Emergency medical personnel rushed both victims to Glens Falls Hospital, but their injuries proved fatal, and both were pronounced deceased. The other victim was identified as Adam M. Darrah, also 19 and a resident of Glens Falls.
Marcus was a 2024 graduate of Glens Falls High School, where he also obtained a welding certification from BOCES. He worked as a line cook at Texas Roadhouse in Queensbury and had a passion for fast cars and weightlifting. A certified scuba diver, he harbored aspirations of becoming an underwater welder. Known for his easygoing nature and infectious sense of humor, the former high school athlete had plans to enlist in the U.S. Army. Friends recalled his extroverted personality, a contrast to his friend Adam, who was described as more introverted with a passion for working on old car engines.
The investigation into the double homicide quickly led law enforcement to suspects from Albany. Within 48 hours of the shooting, police had made arrests. David M. Larose, 20, and Jordan P. Johnson, 18, were taken into custody and charged with two counts of second-degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon. Court documents later revealed that the motive for the killings was believed to be a robbery attempt. Johnson faced additional charges for tampering with evidence, having allegedly instructed someone to 'flush the bullets' and erase data from Larose's phone. A third individual, an adolescent offender whose name was not released due to his age, was also later charged with murder in connection with the deaths.
Witnesses at the scene described seeing a white sedan speeding away from the area and the harrowing discovery of the two victims in the road. One witness recounted someone knocking on their car window, pleading, 'They're shot, call 911.' A roadside memorial was soon established on Clay Hill Road, a testament to the community's grief over the violent loss of the two young men. Both Larose and Johnson were indicted by a Washington County grand jury and held without bail at the Washington County Correctional Facility as the case moved to Washington County Court.
