Black / African American Marshall Lawson Jr., a 69-year-old male, lost his life on March 15, 2024, in a violent incident that shook the quiet community of Griffith, Indiana. The events unfolded on a Friday afternoon at a residence located in the 600 block of Colfax Street, near the intersection with Oak Street in unincorporated Griffith. Police were dispatched to the scene shortly before 2:00 p.m. following reports of gunfire in the residential area.
Upon arrival, Lake County Sheriff's deputies discovered a chaotic scene where three men had sustained gunshot wounds.
Marshall Lawson Jr. was found with fatal injuries, and the Lake County Coroner’s Office later ruled his death a homicide. Two other men were also discovered at the location: 63-year-old Robert Secviar, who lived at the home, and 67-year-old John Stefanich of Highland. Secviar was pronounced dead at the scene, and his death was also ruled a homicide. The third man involved was transported to a local hospital in critical condition but ultimately succumbed to his injuries. Authorities initially listed the manner of death for Stefanich as pending while the investigation continued.
Witnesses in the neighborhood provided harrowing accounts of the afternoon's violence. One neighbor reported hearing gunshots while sitting in her living room and looked out to see a man lying in a driveway across the street. She observed another man standing over the fallen individual, appearing to go through his pockets before retreating inside the house. Moments later, additional gunfire was heard from within the residence. This sequence of events led law enforcement to treat the situation as a possible murder-suicide.
In the aftermath of the shooting, the Lake County Sheriff's Department stated that there was no ongoing threat to the public, suggesting that all individuals involved were accounted for at the scene. No suspects were sought outside of the three men found at the residence, and no arrests were made in connection with the case. The investigation remained focused on the dynamics between the three men to determine the precise sequence of events that led to the tragic loss of life.
