William 'Popeye' Blackmon, a 51-year-old Black man from Buffalo, New York, was fatally shot on the night of May 26, 2013. Known as a charismatic figure in his East Ferry-Moselle-Grider-Woodlawn neighborhood, Blackmon's death is widely believed to be a direct result of his cooperation with law enforcement in a murder investigation. His case is now considered a cold case by the Buffalo Police Department.
Just ten months prior to his own death, in July 2012, Blackmon witnessed the broad-daylight shooting of his close friend, Darryl 'Bobby' McDavis. Despite the potential risks in a community often wary of police collaboration, Blackmon provided homicide detectives with a detailed account of what he saw. His testimony was instrumental in the arrest of the primary suspect, Wyatt 'Chicago' Hayes, who was apprehended in Tennessee and charged with second-degree murder. In a turn of events that may have sealed Blackmon's fate, Hayes pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of first-degree manslaughter on May 17, 2013, a mere nine days before Blackmon was gunned down just a few blocks from where his friend had been killed.
In the days leading up to his murder, Blackmon seemed to have a premonition of the danger he was in, opting to sleep on a chair at his sister's home instead of his own bed. His family firmly believes he was targeted for breaking the code of silence and doing the right thing. They described him as a man with a big heart who, despite having his own struggles and spending some time in jail, was known for his generosity and willingness to help others in the neighborhood.
A year after his death, in May 2014, family and friends held a vigil to honor his memory and plead for anyone with information to come forward, expressing frustration that no arrests had been made. His mother, Kimberly Blackmon, lamented the street violence that had claimed her son and so many others. As of today, the murder of William 'Popeye' Blackmon remains unsolved, with no publicly identified suspects or arrests in connection with his death. The Buffalo Police Department encourages anyone with information to contact their confidential tip line.
