In the early hours of May 4, 2024, the sounds of gunfire shattered the quiet of the 500 block of Lyell Avenue in Rochester, New York. When Rochester Police Department officers arrived at a residence at 525 Lyell Avenue around 1:35 a.m., they discovered a grim scene. Inside, 29-year-old Jared Perry, a Black / African American male, and 31-year-old Marquis Chambers had been fatally shot.
A third victim, a woman in her mid-20s, was also found with a gunshot wound to the chest but was transported to the hospital in stable condition and was expected to survive. Witnesses at the scene reported seeing a man fleeing from the house immediately after the shots were fired.
The double homicide was part of a weekend marked by a surge in violence in Rochester, prompting public statements from the city's mayor and police chief. The investigation into the deaths of Perry and Chambers was undertaken by the Rochester Police Department's Major Crimes Unit, which appealed to the public for any information that could lead to an arrest.
After a thorough investigation, detectives identified 29-year-old Lakwan Hannah as the perpetrator. It was determined that Hannah, who was on probation at the time, had driven to the Lyell Avenue home, exited his vehicle, and opened fire on a group of people on the front porch. This initial volley of shots resulted in the death of Marquis Chambers and injury to another individual. Hannah then entered the house, where he pursued and fatally shot Jared Perry. Following the murders, Hannah fled the state of New York.
In January of 2025, law enforcement located and arrested Lakwan Hannah in Euless, Texas. He was subsequently extradited back to Monroe County, New York, to face charges for the murders. On December 23, 2025, Hannah pleaded guilty to two counts of Murder in the 2nd Degree for the killings of Jared Perry and Marquis Chambers. His sentencing was scheduled for January 28th of the following year.
