In a city striving to leave its violent past behind, Michael Burkes, a 32-year-old Black man, sought a fresh start in the quiet neighborhood of Elliott in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He had moved there with his fiancée and their young son, hoping to escape the street life that had previously entangled him. Tragically, the very violence he sought to escape found him on the morning of Thursday, April 24, 2014.
As he was leaving for his roofing job, with his one-year-old son secured in his car, he was gunned down on the front porch of his Marena Street home. Police believe he may have momentarily returned to the house, perhaps to retrieve a forgotten item, when the fatal shots were fired. His son was later found unharmed in the nearby vehicle.
The Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office ruled Burkes' death a homicide, with the cause of death being multiple gunshot wounds. For his family, the news was a devastating blow. His sister recounted that he was a man trying to turn his life around, dedicated to his family and looking forward to his upcoming wedding. She acknowledged his past, which included several arrests and, notably, two acquittals on prior homicide charges. This complex history left both his family and law enforcement struggling to identify a clear motive for his murder.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Pittsburgh police appealed to the public for any information that could lead to the perpetrator or perpetrators. Despite their efforts and the initial investigation, no suspects were publicly identified, and no arrests were made in the days and months that followed. As of early 2015, the investigation into the death of Michael Burkes was still considered ongoing. However, publicly available information since that time has not indicated any significant breakthroughs, and the case of who killed Michael Burkes remains unresolved.
