Family, Friends Say Goodbye to Slain Grocery Store Owner
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) --Family and friends will gather to say goodbye to a grocery store owner gunned down in Philadelphia on Christmas Eve.
Marie Buck, 81, was minding her store when an armed gunman walked in and fired 11 shots.
On Thursday, police identified the trigger puller as 31-year-old Maurice Green.
Homicide detectives believe Green was angry at Buck's grandson because he believed he stole a piece of jewelry worth between $5,000 and $10,000.
Police say that's when Green went to the store, thinking the grandson was working, but when he only found Buck there, he opened fire.
"It's one of the more horrific murders that I've dealt with in nine years. You have an 81-year-old grandmother, defenseless, who was beloved by the community and to be killed in this manner is just horrific," Philadelphia Police Capt. James Clark said. "It's very sad but we are very happy that we are able to put this to a close in a very short time period."
Police say they have video of Green parking and walking towards the store minutes before the murder, along with video of him fleeing the scene right after the shooting.
Police say the grandson was supposed to be at work as Buck even called him that morning just minutes before she was murdered.
Investigators say the grandson is cooperating and is not facing any charges.
"It's downright evil when you think about it because at some point in time you knew who you were firing at, you knew who was in that store. It's pure evil," Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross said.
Police say Green is not cooperating with detectives and police have not yet recovered a murder weapon. However, Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams is confident with the case.
"There is sufficient evidence to hold him. We believe there is sufficient evidence to prove him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt," Williams said.
The store that Buck ran for nearly four decades read closed as an outpouring of grief grew on the front steps on Thursday night.
It was a place where neighborhood kids grew up working; where they would have lunched packed by Marie, if their own parents could not afford one to send them to school with.
One of the people there to honor her came in from Texas. Like many others, long time customer and friend Donna Varallo Fikes flew in to attend Buck's services. "My sister called me and I was on a plane on the 26th," she said.
A funeral mass will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi Church.
