In the early hours of a Saturday morning in Pittsburgh's Lincoln-Lemington-Belmar neighborhood, the life of a beloved local musician, Leroy Wofford, took a tragic turn. On September 8, 2012, two men knocked on the door of his home. When the 59-year-old Black male answered, he was met by at least one man brandishing a gun. In a split second, as he tried to shut the door to protect himself, a bullet was fired through it, striking him in the shoulder and piercing his chest.
Despite his grave injury, Wofford was able to call 911 for help. He was rushed to UPMC Presbyterian, where he underwent surgery for his wounds.
For a day and a half, there was a glimmer of hope that the well-known blues and jazz singer would survive the violent encounter. However, on the afternoon of Sunday, September 9, 2012, Leroy Wofford succumbed to his injuries and passed away. His death left the city's music community in shock and mourning for a man described as a great entertainer. His family and friends remembered him as someone who believed that music could heal the soul and who dedicated his life to reaching people through his performances. In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Pittsburgh police had very little information to go on. Wofford had told them before he was taken to the hospital that two Black men were at his door, but because his condition worsened and he ultimately passed away, investigators were never able to conduct a follow-up interview to get more details.
In the days and weeks that followed, the investigation into Leroy Wofford's murder struggled to gain momentum. With no suspects and an unknown motive, the case quickly grew cold. The local music community rallied around his family, organizing a benefit concert to help with funeral expenses, a testament to the number of lives he had touched with his music. His daughter and brother made public pleas for anyone with information to come forward and help find those responsible for his senseless death. Despite their appeals and the ongoing police investigation, no arrests have ever been made in the case. The murder of Leroy Wofford remains an unsolved homicide with the Pittsburgh Police Department, a painful open wound for his family and the city's music scene.
