Caden DeaSean Martin, a 19-year-old male, was killed on January 30, 2024, while working behind the counter at the Tobacco & Pipe shop in the 2000 block of Seventh Avenue in North Charleston, West Virginia. What began as an ordinary evening at work turned into a sudden act of violence when police say a masked juvenile entered the business with a firearm, demanded money and merchandise, and then shot Martin as he left the store.
When Charleston police arrived, they found Martin dead behind the counter from multiple gunshot wounds.
Investigators described the shooting as especially troubling because surveillance video reportedly showed Martin complying during the robbery. According to police accounts, he handed over what was demanded and did not make an aggressive move toward the gunman. As the robber was leaving, shots were fired anyway. Charleston police said the incident was captured by security cameras inside and outside the store, giving detectives a clear view of the robbery and helping them identify the juveniles believed to be involved.
The case quickly led to arrests. Bre'Juan Williams-Hampton, who was 14 at the time of the shooting, was accused of entering the shop, brandishing the gun, robbing the business, and firing the shots that killed Martin. Another teenager, Barack Howard Williams, was accused of participating in the robbery and acting as a lookout. Both were charged in connection with the fatal robbery, and the case moved through Kanawha County court with the seriousness of an adult homicide prosecution despite the defendants' ages.
Williams-Hampton was later sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 15 years for his role in the crimes. Barack Williams, whose case was also moved to adult status, faced charges including first-degree robbery and felony murder. Prosecutors argued that he was part of the robbery that led directly to Martin's death, even if Williams-Hampton was alleged to have fired the fatal shots. A Kanawha County jury ultimately found Barack Williams guilty of murder during the commission of a robbery, and he was later sentenced to life with mercy.
Martin's death left his family and community grieving a young man whose life was taken while he was simply working his job. Family members remembered him with deep emotion, describing him as someone with a good heart. The violence of the robbery was made even more painful by the fact that, according to investigators, Martin had complied and still was not spared. His killing became not only a homicide case, but also a painful reminder of how quickly a routine work shift can become a tragedy when armed violence enters a place where someone is trying to earn a living.
