In the late hours of a Tuesday in Scranton, Pennsylvania, events unfolded that would end the life of 36-year-old Benjamin N. Thompson. Just after midnight on May 15, 2024, officers were called to Jackson Street where they discovered Thompson unresponsive inside a car. He was transported to Geisinger Community Medical Center, where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries. The following day, the coroner ruled his death a homicide.
An investigation into the incident revealed a tragic story of a robbery gone fatally wrong. Authorities allege that three individuals, Rahjuan Morgan, 24, Quamir Robinson, 22, and Malachi Darden, 19, had conspired to rob Thompson under the guise of a marijuana transaction. According to court documents, Thompson had sent a text message indicating he was at a Family Dollar on Jackson Street. Surveillance footage from the area captured the subsequent events, showing the three men interacting with Thompson.
The situation escalated quickly, leading to the fatal shooting of Thompson. Investigators believe that as Morgan allegedly took the marijuana from the passenger side of the vehicle, Darden fired the shot that killed Thompson. Following the incident, all three men fled the scene.
Law enforcement was able to identify the suspects, leading to the arrests of two of the three men. Quamir Robinson was taken into custody at his residence in Dunmore. Both he and Rahjuan Morgan are being held at the Lackawanna County Prison without bail, facing charges of criminal homicide and conspiracy. The third suspect, Malachi Darden, who is accused of being the shooter, remains at large.
