On the early morning of June 28, 2011, Saleem Garland, a 26-year-old African-American man, was found dead inside his red Chevy Impala in the Nicetown section of Philadelphia. Police discovered him at approximately 1:30 a.m. on the 1700 block of West Juniata Street. He had sustained multiple gunshot wounds to his chest and buttocks and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The car's front windshield and rear passenger window had been shot out, indicating a violent confrontation.
For years, the case of Saleem Garland's death remained unsolved, one of many cold cases in the city. Investigators had little to go on initially, with no suspects or motives immediately identified. The brutal nature of the killing left a lingering question in the community, and for Garland's family, there were no answers as to who was responsible for his death. The investigation continued, but with no new leads, the case grew cold, and the trail of the killer seemed to have vanished.
A significant breakthrough came years later, in November 2019, when Philadelphia police announced the arrest of 29-year-old Michael Blackston. His arrest was the result of a long and complex investigation that connected him to a series of homicides spanning from 2011 to 2017. Blackston was charged with five counts of murder, and Saleem Garland's case was one of the five that authorities attributed to him. The other alleged victims of Blackston's violent spree included Gary Wilson, Kristin Freemon, Branden Vincent, and Michael Cousette.
The arrest of Michael Blackston brought a renewed sense of hope for justice for the families of the victims. According to law enforcement, Blackston was already incarcerated since September 2018 on another murder charge when he was linked to the additional homicides. The District Attorney's Office praised the diligent work of the Philadelphia Police Department in resolving these cold cases. While a suspect was finally in custody and facing charges for the death of Saleem Garland and others, authorities did not release a specific motive for the string of killings. The prosecution of Michael Blackston for the multiple murders he is accused of is set to proceed through the court system.
