Marcus Cummings

Marcus Lavey Cummings, a young man remembered by his loved ones for his fun, playful, and funny personality, was just 20 years old and had his whole life ahead of him. His family said he was a person who had no enemies and gave life to everyone he met. Friends described him as "chill" and "down to earth." Known to some by the nickname "2 zoak," Marcus was a former student of Warren High School in San Antonio, Texas, where he was building a life full of promise.

That life was tragically cut short on the evening of Saturday, March 5, 2016. At around 8:30 p.m., Marcus was outside his home in the 8800 block of Meadow Trace, a residential street on the city's Northwest Side near Culebra and Grissom Roads. He had just finished eating with friends and was talking with them in his front yard. Some reports state he was sitting in a pickup truck with a 17-year-old female friend when a dark-colored truck or SUV, reportedly carrying about four people, pulled up.

According to witnesses, an argument broke out between Marcus and the occupants of the other vehicle. The verbal exchange quickly escalated when a passenger in the back of the SUV pointed a gun out the window. Multiple gunshots rang out in the quiet neighborhood. Marcus was struck several times. A witness saw him take two steps before falling to the ground, unresponsive. The 17-year-old girl with him was also hit, suffering a gunshot wound to her leg.

The dark-colored vehicle sped to the end of the street, then circled back, firing again at one of Marcus's friends who had gotten out of another car to help him. That friend managed to take cover and reportedly returned fire as the assailants fled the scene. Emergency services were called, and Marcus was rushed to University Hospital, but his injuries were too severe, and he was pronounced dead. The teenage girl was taken to Christus Santa Rosa Hospital and was expected to recover from her injuries.

The San Antonio Police Department launched a homicide investigation into the senseless killing. A memorial of flowers and candles quickly grew outside the Cummings' home on Meadow Trace as friends and family gathered to mourn. His uncle, Larry Petty, spoke about the family's pain, wondering, "How can you take somebody life that all they did was give life to everybody else?" Marcus's sister, Ebone Cummings, had a message for the people responsible: "that they're going to get caught, and the man upstairs does not sleep. My brother didn't do nothing to them for that to happen."

Months after the shooting, the case remains unsolved, and the motive is still unknown. Investigators have not released any descriptions of the suspects or the specific make and model of the dark truck or SUV involved. The family's assertion that Marcus had no known enemies has left both them and the police searching for a reason behind the violent attack.

As of July 2016, the investigation by the San Antonio Police Department is ongoing, but no arrests have been made. The case has grown cold, and authorities are asking for the public's help to bring justice to Marcus and his family. San Antonio Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for any information that leads to the arrest of the person or persons responsible for the murder of Marcus Lavey Cummings. Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers at 210-224-STOP (7867). Tipsters can remain anonymous.