In the warm evening of Memorial Day weekend in 2019, a lively community cookout at Carter Jones Park in Richmond, Virginia, turned into a scene of tragedy. Nine-year-old Markiya Simone Dickson, a bright and feisty girl with a love for unicorns and making YouTube videos, was caught in the crossfire of a shooting that erupted. Born on March 2, 2010, Markiya was a student at Crestwood Elementary School and was known for her kind heart and infectious smile. On that fateful day, May 26, 2019, while enjoying the holiday with her family and hundreds of others, gunfire broke out. In the ensuing chaos, both Markiya and an 11-year-old boy were struck by stray bullets.
Markiya’s father, Mark Whitfield, ran towards the sound of the shots to find his daughter. He rushed her to the hospital, but her injuries proved to be fatal. The young girl, who was just looking forward to the fourth grade, was pronounced dead. The incident sent shockwaves through the Richmond community, prompting pleas from law enforcement and city leaders for witnesses to come forward and help bring those responsible to justice. The senseless violence that cut short a promising young life left her parents, Ciara Dickson and Mark Whitfield, and her siblings heartbroken.
The investigation into Markiya's death led to the arrests of three individuals. In late October 2019, authorities apprehended Jermaine Davis, 21, and Quinshawn Betts, 18. Both men were charged with murder, two counts of malicious wounding, and three counts of using a firearm in the commission of a felony. A third suspect, 20-year-old Jesus Turner, was arrested in December of the same year by the U.S. Marshals Regional Fugitive Task Force. He faced the same charges as the other two suspects in connection with the shooting that ended a young girl's life and forever altered the lives of her family.
