Do you know who murdered Marcus? In the early morning hours of June 6, 1973, a conversation between two brothers on a Tulsa street was violently and tragically cut short. Marcus Rozell Harris, a twenty-eight-year-old male, was standing and talking with his brother in front of a residence at 1328 N. Lansing. It was approximately 1:00 a.m., a time when the city was otherwise settling into a quiet repose.
The tranquility of the moment was shattered by the sudden eruption of gunfire.
From a passing brown Pontiac, an unknown individual opened fire on the two brothers. The hail of bullets struck both men, leaving them wounded on the pavement. The vehicle then sped off into the night, its occupants disappearing before they could be identified. Both Marcus and his brother were rushed for medical attention, but Marcus's injuries proved to be too severe. He ultimately succumbed to the gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead. His brother, though injured in the ambush, thankfully survived the attack.
The investigation into the shooting was launched immediately, but the assailant or assailants left behind very few clues. The brown Pontiac was the most significant piece of information law enforcement had to go on, but it was not enough to lead to a swift arrest. In the years that followed, the case of Marcus Harris's murder grew cold. Despite the efforts of the Tulsa Police Department, no suspect has ever been officially named or apprehended in connection with the crime. The motive for the shooting remains a mystery, and the case is still considered an unsolved homicide. The search for who was in the brown Pontiac that fateful morning and why they chose to open fire on the two brothers continues, leaving a family to wait for answers and for justice to be served.
