Rayon Braxton, 25, was shot seven times and killed on November 27, 2015, on the third floor of the Big Ugly Warehouse in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where he ran Braxton Hall, a community arts center and dance club. Braxton was a well-known community organizer who mentored troubled teens and provided a creative space for local youth; the shooting happened shortly before a planned rap battle and his body was found by two women who had been scheduled to bartend that night.

Witnesses heard several rapid gunshots and saw one man leave Braxton Hall; a nearby mechanic who called 9-1-1 reported seeing a car speed away in reverse before turning and fleeing. Police quickly focused on a suspect who knew Braxton. On December 9, 2015, 26-year-old Jerren Keith Stuckey was arrested and charged with the murder; Stuckey and Braxton had attended high school together and Stuckey had worked events at Braxton Hall. Prosecutors said the motive appeared to be a financial dispute, with a witness testifying Stuckey claimed Braxton owed him money and had threatened to kill him if he didn’t pay.

Stuckey’s trial began in October 2016; after a four-day trial and two days of deliberation, a jury convicted him of first-degree murder and he was sentenced to life without parole on October 20, 2016. Is there anyone who knew Rayon or attended events at Braxton Hall who can add details about that night or Braxton’s work in the community?