A teenage suspect in the murder of a Memphis street vendor known as "Red the Watermelon Pman," failed to appear for his scheduled court hearing, resulting in authorities issuing an arrest warrant. Demarion Tackett, who was 15 at the time of the alleged crime, is accused of first-degree murder in connection with the death of John Materna, who was affectionately dubbed by his community for his long-time sales of watermelons, according to FOX13 Memphis.
After posting a $100,000 bond in April, Tackett's absence in the most recent hearing led to his bond being revoked. John Materna's son, Daniel, expressed his disbelief to FOX13 Memphis, stating, "They just told us there was no way he would make it out,” Daniel Materna said. “There would be a source hearing, we would know about it, we would be able to be there at all the hearings. Just out of the blue, we see this come across our phones.."
The tragic incident that took Materna's life unfolded when two men in a silver Infiniti allegedly shot him during an attempted robbery on the corner where he sold his fruit, as detailed by Action News 5. While Demarion Tackett stands accused, a second suspect involved in the killing remains at large.
Amid the slow grind of the judicial process, Materna’s daughter, April Stokes, has called for patience and precision in the pursuit of justice for her father. "We don’t want them to rush it because we don’t want mistakes. We want it done right the first time, so we’re getting there. It’s making progress," Stokes elucidated to WREG. Randall Linn, a friend of Materna, reflected on the absence of justice and lamented the enforcement of laws in a statement to WREG, "Until we not enact laws, but we enforce the laws that we have, that are on the books, there’s no deterrent out here. There’s none."
The community, still grappling with the loss, has put up a memorial at the corner where Materna was a fixture for decades. The turn of events following Tackett's unmet court appearance adds another layer of distress to those seeking closure. District Attorney Steve Mulroy has yet to respond to the latest developments of Tackett's evasion of the bond hearing. Conditions of Tackett's release mandated that he must live with his mother, observe a curfew, attend school, and participate in the city's group violence intervention program, all of which are now in contention as authorities actively seek to locate him.
