Marcus J Bennett, 47, was killed by gunfire during a backyard party on Sixth Street in Rochester in the summer of 2022. An argument between Bennett and another man escalated; the other man, identified as 32-year-old Christopher Williams, pulled out an illegal firearm and shot Bennett multiple times. At the time, Williams was on parole and had removed his monitoring device. The Rochester Police Department’s Major Crime Unit investigated and arrested Williams at a residence in Irondequoit. The Monroe County District Attorney’s Office said the killing arose from a bruised ego during the argument.

Bennett, known by some as Lil’Bit, was a father and a grandfather and had just begun a full-time job at Lidestri Foods with plans to build a career there. He is remembered by family and friends as a giving man with the heart of a lion. If anyone has information about Marcus Bennett or witnessed the events that night, please come forward to the Rochester Police Department.