On the evening of June 22, 2023, a violent altercation in a Temple Hills, Maryland, parking lot claimed the life of 19-year-old Tyzaiah Gaither, a male resident of Washington, D.C. The fatal incident, which began as an attempted robbery, quickly escalated, leaving the young man dead from multiple gunshot wounds.
The tragic chain of events began inside a convenience store on Naylor Road when Gaither attempted to steal money from 49-year-old Jeffrey Coachman. The confrontation spilled out into the parking lot, where a physical struggle ensued between the two. At this point, 53-year-old Recco Bouknight, an associate of Coachman, exited a vehicle and shot Gaither at least thirteen times. After Gaither was on the ground and incapacitated, Bouknight approached him and fired a final, fatal shot to the top of his head. As he and Bouknight fled the scene, Coachman intentionally drove over Gaither's body with his car.
First responders found Gaither in the parking lot and pronounced him deceased at the scene.
Through their investigation, Prince George's County Police identified Coachman and Bouknight, both from Washington, D.C., as the suspects in Gaither's murder. Both men were arrested and charged with first and second-degree murder, along with other related charges. In March 2025, Recco Bouknight was sentenced to life in prison plus 30 years for his role in the killing. His co-defendant, Jeffrey Coachman, was convicted on a charge of being a disqualified person in possession of a firearm and was awaiting sentencing scheduled for March 12, 2025.
