On the evening of November 11, 2022, in North Little Rock, Arkansas, a burst of gunfire in the parking lot of McCain Mall shattered the ordinary rhythm of a Friday night. When officers from the North Little Rock Police Department arrived at the scene just after 6:30 p.m., they discovered two 17-year-old boys inside a car, both suffering from gunshot wounds. One of the victims, Marcus Blue, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The other, 17-year-old Alex Berry, was rushed to a nearby hospital, but tragically, he succumbed to his injuries.
The double homicide plunged two families into a nightmare. Alex Berry and Marcus Blue were described as being as close as brothers. In the wake of their deaths, their mothers spoke of the immense void left in their lives and the promising futures that were stolen. Alex had aspirations of joining the Navy and later pursuing a business degree. The investigation into their deaths remained active and ongoing for many months, with the North Little Rock Police Department pursuing various leads.
A significant development in the case came in July 2025, when the U.S. Marshals Service Eastern District of Arkansas Fugitive Task Force apprehended a suspect. Charles Ware Jr., a 24-year-old man, was arrested in Conway in connection with the shooting deaths of Alex Berry and Marcus Blue. Ware was wanted by the North Little Rock Police for capital murder, and his arrest marked a potential turning point in the long search for justice for the two slain teenagers.
