BALTIMORE — Marcus Roberts was shot and killed late Saturday night in an alley on West Lombard Street in Baltimore.
He’s one of Baltimore’s 229 murder investigations this year.
But for Diane Jones, her heart is shattered.
She lost a son to gun violence.
“They say they found him dead on arrival,” Jones said. “He was already dead when they got there.”
Around 11:15 p.m. Saturday, the 34-year-old Roberts was shot to death.
Jones learned of her son’s death through the worst possible way – on social media.
“I was the last one to know he was dead. Someone had posted on Facebook before I even got it, before I even got the facts,” Jones said. “I didn’t tell anybody because I wasn't sure. I said once I get the facts, I'll let ya'll know for sure but they had it on Facebook that he was dead."
FACES OF BALTIMORE CITY'S MURDER RATE
Not long later, she was approached by a police detective to confirm the news she had feared.
“It was the detective that told me he was shot in the head, and other places two more times. and he was the one that let me know Marcus was dead,” Jones said.
Jones said there are rumors floating around about the motive of the shooting.
“This was a rumor, a cigarette, someone shot him over a cigarette,” Jones said.
Jones doesn’t believe those rumors to be true.
“He don't smoke cigarettes,” she said.
Jones spoke of her son for his affectionate ways.
"They took an angel off the Earth,” she said. “I'm not saying that because he was my son. if you knew him you would say that is on who is this guy is. He is on another cloud or something. He would just go through the church and give people hugs."
Jones said she just wants the person who shot her son to be found and put behind bars.
There have been no arrests, and Metro Crime Stoppers is offering an $8,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest and conviction.
"If anybody know anything, please come forward and say something,” Jones said. “So many mothers and fathers and families are hurting so much. Please know it’s time for a change. Everyone keep saying this but it’s real. It’s time for a change.”
