On Sep. 19, Morgan State University student Marcus Edwards, 21, was murdered on the 5400 block of Loch Raven Blvd. Every Monday night since Oct. 17, Edward’s mother and others return in an attempt to find answers.
The family of Marcus Edwards hands out copies of this flyer on Monday nights in an effort to solve his murder. (Photo by Terrance Smith)
On Monday evenings, between the hours of roughly 9 p.m. and 11 p.m., around the time of the incident on Sep. 19, members of Edward’s church, Judah Temple African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, his family and friends drive from Washington D.C. to Baltimore so they can spread awareness about his death.
On Nov. 14 about 15 people passed out the Metro Crime Stoppers flyer with Edward’s photo, details of his death and the toll-free number to call if anyone knew anything about the murder.
They approached cars stopped at red lights, knocked on their car windows and, if the reception was positive, would inform those who were passing by of the incident that happened hoping someone would know anything that could push the investigation forward.
Plenty of times people said they had heard about the case, but no one offered any solid leads.
Nicole Ausberry-Brooks, Edwards’ mother, told the AFRO, “ expect to accomplish justice for Marcus. No justice, no peace. That is my motto, my slogan and what I am living by.”
Ausberry-Brooks added, “We’re going to keep it up. Nothing will stop us from coming out here.”
The lead detective on the case is Ryan Diener, a member of the Baltimore City Police Department. Diener is aware of the initiative and has attended in the past. Diener told the AFRO that he did not want to comment on the case as it could “jeopardize the investigation.”
One of the people handing out flyers on a cold Monday evening was Briana Davis, a a Towson University student who said she was close friends with Edwards.
“ is circulating on social media and I have heard people talk about it on my campus, so I believe it is really effective. We are pushing until we find something,” Davis told the AFRO.
Father Joe Muth at nearby St. Matthew Catholic Church on Loch Raven Blvd., found out about the murder and immediately got involved.
“When I heard he was killed on the 19th, that following Thursday we had a prayer service out here on the corner, we took some oil and we anointed the street corner where his blood was and about 75 people showed up,” said Muth.
“We decided on the 40th day of his death to take some red paint and paint a cross on the spot where he died to have a permanent statement that his memory cannot be washed away.”
Edward’s homicide is one of 274, as of Nov. 16, to take place in Baltimore and one of 33 to take place in Northeast Baltimore. The Baltimore City Police Department said it has a clearance rate of 39.2 percent.
However, for Ausberry-Brooks, they will continue to stay out there on Monday nights “until justice is served.”