Defendant Killed Victim Over Money, Prosecutor sAys at Start of Trial

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At the start of homicide defendant Melvin Tucker‘s trial on June 26, the prosecutor told jurors that the defendant killed 42-year-old Moses Earl McKnight over money.

Tucker, 43, is charged with first-degree murder, firearm use in a violent crime and having a handgun on his person and in his vehicle in connection to the shooting on the 3600 block of Leverton Avenue on May 12, 2024.

Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Barry G. Williams is presiding over Tucker’s trial.

According to charging documents, around 4:30 a.m., Tucker parked his light-colored Ford Explorer in a rear alley near the crime scene before exiting the vehicle and approaching the victim. After a brief handshake, Tucker allegedly attacked and shot McKnight.

During opening statements, the prosecution claimed that Tucker attacked McKnight because the latter owed him money. Additionally, the prosecutor said, the suspect was wearing a distinctive jacket with one yellow and one red sleeve—a detail that would be apparent in the surveillance footage pulled from the crime scene.

The prosecutor also briefly outlined the testimony of an eyewitness who reportedly saw the attack take place and later identified Tucker as the suspect.

Defense attorney Robert Cole said two bullets and two shell casings were found at the scene, despite the footage showing three bullets being discharged from the suspect’s gun. He claimed there was no rational explanation for the discrepancy.

The trial is ongoing.