A 27-year-old man has been found guilty of the 2017 gun murder of Morlan Steede. Kiari Tucker was convicted of unlawful killing and the use of a firearm to commit an indictable offence. The verdict was reached after approximately seven hours of deliberation by the jury.
Following the trial, Ricky Steede, the father of the victim, expressed his satisfaction with the outcome, stating, “I am happy with the verdicts.” Puisne Judge Juan Wolffe has adjourned the case until March 28, remanding Tucker in custody until that date.
The incident occurred on November 3, 2017, a fact Tucker initially denied. During the six-week trial, jurors reviewed CCTV footage from Court Street and Deepdale, which depicted Tucker in a black jacket and pants before the murder. Witnesses testified that Tucker had interacted with Mr. Steede and others in Deepdale before leaving the area, only to return to Court Street shortly before the shooting.
The footage also captured a motorcycle leaving the parking lot moments after Tucker departed. At approximately 9:11 PM, a figure in dark clothing was seen in Deepdale, and subsequent footage recorded a man in white fleeing the scene, followed by a person dressed in black, who was seen brandishing a firearm.
The court heard that Mr. Steede suffered four gunshot wounds, with the fatal shot striking his left lung and heart. After the murder, Tucker was observed returning to Court Street wearing a white T-shirt and was arrested the following day at a residence in Warwick, where he was found hiding under a pile of clothing. Tests revealed gunshot residue on both his hands and clothing.
Crown prosecutor Carrington Mahoney described Tucker as the “designated gunman,” asserting that he had staked out Mr. Steede prior to the shooting. An expert witness testified that Tucker’s gait matched that of a man seen in Deepdale, and mobile phone data indicated his possible presence in the area during the crime.
Defense attorney Charles Richardson countered that the prosecution’s evidence was circumstantial and that the gunshot residue could have been transferred from law enforcement. He also noted that Tucker would have had only 18 seconds to change his clothing if he were indeed the man seen on the motorcycle.
This conviction marks Tucker’s third trial for the murder. In 2019, he was convicted and sentenced to 25 years, but that ruling was overturned by the Court of Appeal due to jury misdirection. A retrial in 2022 resulted in a hung jury.
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