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Teenager Murdered in Ladyville
posted (April 8, 2016)
18 year old Merkel Pitts died this evening. The teenager had been shot last night in Ladyville. He was on life support, and his family was hopeful, but, he didn't make it.

The shooting happened after 7:30 when Pitts was hanging out with friends at the corner of Marage Road and Compassion Lane when a gunman came up to the group and shot Pitts. Now, residents say this was not some random attack - the shooter wanted Pitts dead. Courtney Weatherburne has more:

Courtney Weatherburne reporting
18 year old Merkel Pitts usually hangs out in this yard with his friends. He would come over in the evenings after work to relax. But last night, that favorite spot became a crime scene.

Inspector Juanito Cocom, OC, Ladyville Police
"Initial investigation reveal that Pitts and 3 other male persons were socializing at the area when a lone gun man approached them and fired several shots towards them"

Pitts was shot twice to the stomach and once to the upper arm. Sources say after he was shot here he ran to his house but police say they found him in the yard bleeding out. Pitts' cousin says she isn't sure how it happened but she heard the shots explode in the night.

Jane Armstrong, Cousin
"My little girl and I was watching and we heard 7 gun shots but that gun that fired, I don't know. That sounded like a heavy gun. You know when something goes off and then the breeze goes off heavy."

Courtney Weatherburne
"Then you didn't even know that it was your cousin Pitts?"

Jane Armstrong, Cousin
"I didn't know who, it was when his mom ran here and said 'they shot Merkel, they shot Merkel!'."

So, there are conflicting reports as what really happened but it seems most people have an idea why. Although police would not confirm this - residents in the area believe that this is a retaliatory shooting - the narrative is that Pitts was shot to send a message to Chavarria's killer.

Jane Armstrong, Cousin
"That is a possibility for true, because they say blood is thicker than water. You don't catch Harry, you catch his shirt."

And now because of that….Pitts is at the hospital on life support. Armstrong says, he didn't deserve this end.

Jane Armstrong, Cousin
"That boy just stammers, he just pass and greets people, that's a lovely boy, he works every night. He isn't bad to be doing bad things. He doesn't do bad things."

As we told you, Pitts was on life support but he died this evening after the story was filed. Police would not go on the record to say that this was a retaliatory murder but they are examining that angle. In terms of the link between the 2 murders - Pitts was shot in the same area that Rene Chavarria was killed three weeks ago. Police do have persons detained for questioning in Pitts' case. Nine .9mm expended shells were found at the scene.

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