A Salisbury man was shot to death early Tuesday on East Fisher Street.
At 12:50 a.m., Salisbury police officers responded to a call about someone being shot at 319 E. Fisher St.
When officers arrived, they found Marquis Antonio Feamster, 23, lying in the yard. He had been shot and was confirmed dead.
Police Capt. Shelia Lingle also confirmed Feamster is the brother of Treasure Feamster, a 13-year-old who was shot and killed in March 2007 after a teen party at the J.C. Price American Legion Post. Treasure was among hundreds in attendance at the party when a fight involving rival gang members escalated and turned violent. She was shot in the crossfire as she and other party-goers ran for cover.
Feamster’s mother, ShaRhonda Feamster, said Tuesday she’s reliving the pain.
“He was my oldest. I’ve lost my oldest boy and my oldest daughter,” she said through tears.
She said she received a phone call about the shooting around 1 a.m. and rushed to East Fisher Street. ShaRhonda Feamster said when she arrived, she was met by Salisbury police, who informed her Marquis was dead.
Feamster said her son did not live at East Fisher, but sometimes stayed with a friend who did. The house was “where everybody hung out,” ShaRhonda Feamster said.
She said he also sometimes stayed at her home. Her son has a daughter, Zoriah, 3, Feamster said.
She recalled that Marquis cooked for the party the family held to honor Treasure, who would have turned 21 in June.
ShaRhonda Feamster’s daughter, LaNora, 15, said she often had heart-to-heart talks with her brother in the living room.
“It’s crazy. He wouldn’t hurt nobody if he did not have to,” she said.
“He always had some joke. Even if they were corny, he thought they were funny,” LaNora said.
Keyonia Steele, ShaRhonda Feamster’s partner, said she’d just began to get to know Marquis within the last two months. She said he was very accepting of her. Steel said she’s known Marquis since she was a child.
Steele recalled when Marquis recently took her 8-year-old daughter swimming. No one else wanted to go, but he offered, Steele said.
She also said he was a very funny person who loved to smile and make sure if he was happy, others were going to be happy.
“I wanted to know more of him,” Steele said.
She said he’ll be missed.
She said Feamster is a strong woman to have endured what she’s had to go through.
Marquis Feamster’s shooting is not connected to a homicide the Salisbury Police are investigating on East Lafayette Street. two weeks ago, someone shot and killed Shanta Maurice Lomax outside a complex there. When police arrived Lomax, 36, was found dead behind an apartment. No arrest has been made in that case.
Lingle said Feamster was shot in the back, but did not say how many times. She also said the shooting was not random.
Salisbury Police Chief Rory Collins said investigators believe the person involved and Feamster were acquaintances. No arrests have been made.
Feamster’s death is the fifth murder of year in Rowan County and the third in less than a month.
Three weeks ago, Rowan County Sheriff’s Office deputies discovered Kenny Smith Sr. dead at his Pineview Circle home, and hours later police found his son, Kenny Smith Jr. dead in a Charlotte hotel. Kenny Smith Jr. had killed his father and later shot himself. The Smiths were discovered the same day, Salisbury Police were investigating the shooting death of Shanta Lomax.
In June Toney Ann Johnson was killed outside the Spencer home she shared with her parents and son. Ex-husband Rodney Wallace was charged with her murder. He fled and was captured in Wrightsville Beach the day after her death.
In January, 15-month-old Malaya Heun died after Kannapolis authorities say she was abused by her aunt Alisha Carlisle and Carlisle’s boyfriend John Travis Turner. Both were charged with murder in June.
Investigators ask anyone with information about the murder of Marquis Feamster to contact the Salisbury Police Department at 704-638-5333 or Crime Stoppers at 1-866-639-5245. These calls can be made anonymously.