Terrell Mayes Jr.

Terrell Mayes Jr., a bright and smiling three-year-old boy, was a beloved son and brother. His family remembers him as a playful child who had recently started walking. His mother, Marsha Mayes, said her son, known as "Junior," was supposed to grow up and be somebody. He loved cartoons, and his family often wears clothing with his favorite characters to remember and celebrate his short life.

The day after Christmas 2011 turned from a day of joy to one of unimaginable tragedy for the Mayes family. On the evening of December 26, Terrell was inside his family’s home on Colfax Avenue North, near 26th Avenue North in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was carrying his plate of spaghetti when gunfire suddenly erupted outside. His mother had trained her children what to do when they heard gunshots in the neighborhood: run upstairs to a closet for safety. As Terrell and his siblings scrambled up the stairs to hide, a stray bullet penetrated the exterior wall of the house. The bullet struck the little boy in the head. His aunt, Lola Tolbert, found him at the bottom of the stairs.

Minneapolis Police responded to the chaotic scene. They quickly determined that neither Terrell nor his family had been the intended target of the shooting. The gunfire originated more than a block away, and the bullet that killed the toddler had traveled through the neighborhood before piercing the walls of his home. Despite the passage of time, the person who fired the fatal shot has never been identified, and the case remains an open and unsolved homicide. The bullet holes from that night are still visible in the gray clapboard house, a stark reminder of the violence that stole a child's life.

The investigation into Terrell's murder has been ongoing for more than a decade. The Minneapolis Police Department has pursued leads over the years, but no arrests have ever been made. Former Police Chief Janee Harteau once kept a picture of Terrell on her desk and a reward poster in her office window as a constant reminder of the need for justice. The case has been featured in news reports and on cold case files, with police and Terrell's family repeatedly appealing to the public for information.

Over the years, Terrell's family has endured unimaginable grief while also becoming advocates against gun violence. His mother, Marsha, moved her surviving children out of the neighborhood and sought counseling for them. "It brings anger," she said of her son's unsolved murder. "It brings hate. It brings love. It brings mixed different feelings when you lose a child." Terrell's aunt, Lola Tolbert, pleaded for the case not to go cold. "I want this to be ongoing, until somebody finds somebody who did this or had something to do with this," she said shortly after the shooting.

The community has gathered many times to honor the little boy's memory. Vigils have been held on what would have been his birthday, July 29. A memorial garden, the Terrell Mayes Memorial Garden, was created as a sacred space for healing and reflection, where plants are grown to help with grief and loss. Community activists like K.G. Wilson have helped maintain the memorials and support the family long after the initial vigils ended.

As of January 2024, Terrell Mayes Jr.'s murder remains unsolved. His mother prays that the person responsible will one day come forward. A reward of $60,000 is available for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person who killed him. Minneapolis police urge anyone with information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, to contact Crime Stoppers of Minnesota anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).