Rochester police are investigating a trio of recent homicides including that of a taxi driver believed to be in his 40s, who was found dead Monday after an apparent carjacking.
“I was very optimistic that we would be able to end April without a homicide, but unfortunately, that is not going to be the case,” Rochester Mayor Malik Evans said during a Monday press conference.
He urged the community to share any relevant information about the alleged killings.
“We know someone knows something,” the mayor said.
The first of the homicides happened Sunday morning when police found 35-year-old Ricky Elliot shot several times and rushed him to a hospital where he died from his wounds. The victim had been involved in a street conflict, according to WROC-TV.
Later that day, 53-year-old Myron Fair was found dead in an apartment complex in what was reportedly “an isolated incident, ” representing no threat to the community.
The dead livery driver, who has not yet been identified by police, was found on the side of a road early Monday morning with a chest wound. Local media said the victim’s car was stolen and later abandoned. He was reportedly on duty when he was killed shortly after 3 a.m.
Rochester Police Chief David Smith joined the mayor in asking for the public’s help Monday. It’s not clear if any of the three deaths were connected. Smith said he couldn’t discuss active investigations but repeatedly stated, “Most of our homicides are the result of violent retaliatory disputes.”
There were 58 reported homicides in Rochester in 2023. That marked a 32% drop from the previous year, according to the Democrat & Chronicle.
The police chief said Monday that 70% of Rochester’s homicide were solved last year and the the city’ major crimes division has cleared just under that number in 2024. The wester New York city is home to roughly 211,000 people, according to U.S. Census Bureau numbers.
