Lancaster police make public appeal for help solving 3 recent homicides

(Lancaster)– Lancaster police are appealing to the public for help solving three unrelated homicide cases that have occurred in recent weeks.

Officers say a lack of cooperation from witnesses has stymied their efforts.

On May 30, 22-year-old Tyreek Gardner was shot and killed on the 500 block of East Chestnut Street. Less than two weeks later, 16-year-old Benjamin Ramos was fatally stabbed on the 900 block of Fremont Street. And four days after that, 44-year-old Anthony Marshall was shot to death on the 600 block of Lafayette street.

Lancaster County District Attorney Craig Stedman says police believe there are members of the community who know what happened in each case.

“These aren’t numbers, when we talk about three murders. They are people. They had their lives ahead of them. They had the right to live their lives,” Stedman said at a news conference Tuesdsay. “It ended suddenly and violently.”

Police do not believe the murders are connected, but Stedman fears there could be more violence and retaliation if they are not able to track down the killers.

“We know there are people who know what happened in each one of these cases who we have not talked to, or who have not come forward, or who have told us less than what we know,” he said.

For the first time ever, according to the Stedman, law enforcement made an appeal for the public’s help in Spanish and posted it on social media, in hopes of connecting with more members of the Lancaster community.