On the night of March 22, 2014, a promising young Black / African American man named DaMarius Morgan, aged 22, was tragically killed in Yakima, Washington. An aspiring rapper, Morgan was at a concert at The Seasons Performance Hall, an event that was meant to showcase local musical talent. However, the evening took a dark turn when an altercation broke out.
In the ensuing violence, DaMarius Morgan was shot and fatally wounded.
The shooting occurred near the venue, at the intersection of Naches Avenue and Staff Sgt. Pendleton Way. First responders found that Morgan had been shot three times. An autopsy later confirmed that a gunshot wound to the chest was the cause of his death, which was ruled a homicide. The aspiring artist's life was cut short in a senseless act of violence that shook the local community and left his family and friends devastated.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Yakima police launched an investigation. Their efforts quickly led to the identification and arrest of two suspects not far from the scene of the crime. The individuals taken into custody were Luis Rodriguez-Perez and William Martinez. The swift arrests brought a small measure of solace to a grieving community, signaling that justice for DaMarius Morgan would be pursued.
The legal process culminated in the conviction of both men. A jury found Luis Rodriguez-Perez and William Martinez guilty of second-degree murder for their roles in the death of DaMarius Morgan. Martinez was also convicted of unlawful possession of a firearm. In June 2015, both men were sentenced to 22 years in prison. During the sentencing, the courtroom was filled with Morgan's supporters, and his family expressed their profound loss, acknowledging that while the sentence brought a form of justice, it could never bring back their beloved DaMarius.
