John Hightower

John Hightower was a 24-year-old Black man from the Frankford neighborhood of Philadelphia. He lived on Griscom Street, and on a summer night in 2009, he was out with friends in another part of the city.

On Saturday, August 8, 2009, John was walking with two companions in West Philadelphia. As they neared the intersection of Redfield and Master Streets, two men approached them. One of the men was armed with a sawed-off shotgun. The pair proceeded to rob John and his friends, taking their cash, cigarettes, and a cell phone.

After the robbery was complete, one of the assailants shot John once in the face. His two friends were not physically harmed in the attack. The wound was instantly fatal, and John was pronounced dead at the scene at 11:10 p.m.

The two men who carried out the robbery and murder fled. To date, no arrests have been made in the case. The murder of John Hightower remains open and unsolved.