On a spring evening in Pittsburgh's East Hills neighborhood, a family cookout turned into a scene of tragedy. Fifteen-month-old Marcus White Jr., a male toddler, was fatally shot on May 21, 2013, when gunfire erupted at the peaceful gathering. The young boy was in the arms of his 20-year-old aunt, Shedayah Tyler, who instinctively tried to shield him from the hail of bullets. Investigators believe a bullet passed through her back before striking Marcus in the chest. His aunt and another aunt were also wounded in the shooting but survived their injuries.
The attack was sudden and violent. At least three gunmen exited a vehicle and began firing indiscriminately into the crowd of about 20 to 30 people who had gathered for the picnic. Detectives later determined the shooting was an act of retaliation. The intended target was believed to be a rival who was present at the cookout, allegedly over a dispute involving the sale of fake drugs the previous day. The getaway car, a stolen black sedan, was later found burned. For years, the case remained unsolved, leaving the family and community searching for answers and pleading for justice for the child who came to be known as 'Baby Marcus.'
Years later, breaks in the case finally led to arrests. In June 2020, authorities charged Gregory Parker, then 22, with the murder. It later emerged that law enforcement had been aware of a confession from Parker as early as 2018, but an arrest was not immediately made. In August 2021, Parker pleaded guilty to third-degree murder, aggravated assault, and other charges. He was sentenced to serve 10 to 20 years in prison for his role in the shooting.
A second man, 29-year-old Desaun Watson, was charged in May 2021 with homicide and other offenses related to the incident. At the time the warrant was issued, Watson was already incarcerated on unrelated charges. He was accused of being one of the individuals who fired into the crowd. However, following a trial, Desaun Watson was found not guilty of all charges in August 2023.
