David Reed

David Antoine Tereal Reed III, a 23-year-old Black man from Poughkeepsie, New York, was known to his loved ones as "Boo," and sometimes as "Boogotti". Born on June 6, 1991, at Vassar Brothers Medical Center, he was a lifelong resident of the city and was educated in the City of Poughkeepsie School District. By 2014, he was a father to five children: three daughters, Dah'lasia, My'Shyne, and Dah'Va, and two sons, Ur'Hynace and Ur'Majesty. He was employed as a sales clerk at the Poughkeepsie Mini Mall. Those who knew him remembered his outgoing personality and his "everlasting and happy spirit, filled with laughter". He was known for making people laugh and had a love for having fun and keeping the children around him happy.

The evening of September 10, 2014, brought a violent end to David's life. He was shot on Garden Street, a thoroughfare in the heart of Poughkeepsie that is a mix of apartment buildings and local businesses, not far from the Walkway Over the Hudson and the Metro-North train station. That night, however, it became a crime scene. David was taken to Mid Hudson Regional Hospital, where he ultimately died from his injuries. His death was officially ruled a homicide, a result of gun violence.

The City of Poughkeepsie Police Department launched an investigation into David's murder, but information released to the public was scant. The specific circumstances of the shooting, including a potential motive or any description of a suspect, were not disclosed. Early in the investigation, it was mentioned that text messages might provide a clue in the unsolved murder of the young father, but the content and significance of these messages were not made public. The silence in the case has been a heavy burden for those who knew and loved him.

In the years that have passed since David's death, his case has grown cold. No arrests have been made, and the investigation remains open. For his family, the lack of resolution is a persistent ache. His mother, Felicia A. Petteway, his father, David A. Reed, his many siblings, and his loving companion, Tanaya Elting, were left to grapple with the sudden and violent loss. His five young children are growing up with only memories of their father.

A funeral service was held for David at the Beulah Baptist Church on Catharine Street, and he was later interred at St. Peters Cemetery in Poughkeepsie. The services were a testament to the many lives he had touched. The memory of "Boo" and his infectious laughter lives on with his family and friends. However, the questions surrounding his death remain unanswered. The identity of his killer and the reason for his murder are still unknown, leaving a painful void for his family and the Poughkeepsie community. While the official investigation may be a cold case, for the loved ones of David Reed, the search for justice continues.