Obituaries 296
Maurice Riley, 26, father training to be electrical engineer
The moment Maurice Riley became a dad at 18 years old was the proudest experience of the young man’s life. “He was an awesome father from day one,” Maurice’s mother, Lauronda Fletcher, said. “I haven’t come across a more loving, caring parent.” Family was of the utmost importance to Maurice until the day he died. […]
Edgar ‘Chimmy’ Morales, 17, 11th-grader and aspiring plumber
For most teenagers, the last place they want to be is at home with their mother — but that was never the case for Edgar Morales, best known by his nickname “Chimmy.” Throughout his life, his mom’s house served as the hangout spot for Chimmy and his friends. Because his mother was a block captain, […]
Khayyan Fruster, 28, wanted to join Police Academy
The grass never grew under Khayyan Fruster’s feet, as his grandmother likes to say, and that motivation would have propelled him into the police department. But he never got the chance to join the academy. Khayyan was shot dead on Jan. 13, 2017, outside his home in the Tacony section of Philadelphia while waiting for […]
Brandon Baylor, 28, loved to tease his sister, ‘Spongebob’
Brandon Baylor was a mamma’s boy at heart. His mother, Mykia Capers, had her son at just 14 years old, making for a strong relationship as the two grew up together. “He respected me as his mom, but we had a relationship where there was nothing he couldn’t say to me,” Mykia said. Their mother-son […]
Kyle Manley, 34: ‘No, not Kyle! Why would that happen to him?’
Losing a loved one to gun violence is never easy, but people were particularly surprised when Kyle Manley was shot. “People were saying, ‘No, not Kyle! Why would that happen to him?’” said his only brother, Todd Manley, a patrol officer at the University of Pennsylvania. “He wasn’t into that type of lifestyle.” The fact […]
Quaseem Jefferson, 22, just started a new job with the city
Quaseem Jefferson was on the right path. Fresh off his first few weeks with a new job with the city of Philadelphia, the 22-year-old was enjoying the fruits of his labor with his first paycheck. Then days later, on Oct. 1, 2016, Quadi was gunned down in the street in East Germantown. His next door […]
Derrick Stallworth, 47: ‘He was always so good to me’
Back when Derrick Stallworth was growing up, all of his cousins used to love coming over to his mother’s house to spend the night. They’d crack jokes all night long, laughing so hard their stomachs got sore until they finally passed out from exhaustion. That’s when the mischievous Derrick would get out the hot sauce, […]
Virginia McLaughlin, 68, widow with deep love of animals
A few years back, Virginia McLaughlin rescued a black and white Shih Tzu from a shelter on St. Patrick’s Day. To mark the momentous first day with her new companion, the dog was named Shamrock, or Shammy for short, in honor of the holiday. Shammy stayed by Virginia’s side as her best companion until the […]
David Becton, 31: ‘If you have family, you are rich’
David Becton was one of the most optimistic people his family knew, always looking on the bright side as he went through life with a smile on his face and a strong work ethic in his heart. He had a nickname for everyone, and many of them often stuck. “If you have family, you are […]
Angelo ‘Lo’ Colon, 21, ‘Clean Freak’ and Rapper
Angelo Colon was always a “clean freak.” Even as a child, when playing in dirt was the norm, Angelo needed to wash his hands as often as possible. “When he was younger, the kids would be out there playing, and every two minutes he’d go into the house because he got a little dirt on […]
Isaiah Batties, 31, positive attitude despite lifelong illness
Isaiah Batties always had a smile on his face, and he had a knack for making others feel good too. “He was really nice and always had a positive attitude about things. And we always thought he was a little bit of a comedian,” said his sister, Diane Precht. Isaiah, who was killed in Wissinoming […]
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Every month, we create a placeholder webpage for each person murdered in Philadelphia. Our hope is to elevate these pages into fully written stories with photos that show who each victim was as a person. Through storytelling, we're shining a light on the human toll of gun violence in Philadelphia.