Lancaster man charged with murder following June double homicide

A Lancaster man was arrested Friday afternoon and charged with two counts of murder following a shooting last month that left two dead and another injured at Palmetto Place Apartments.

Demarcus Javontia Marsh, 24, was arrested and charged by the Lancaster Police Department with two counts of murder, one count of attempted murder and three counts of possession of a firearm during a violent crime.

According to police, Marsh was taken into custody by agents of the State Law Enforcement Division after Lancaster-based investigators obtained warrants on him.

On June 29, residents of the Palmetto Place apartment complex said they witnessed a drive-by shooting around 8:20 p.m.

Courtney Javon McCain, 36, of Lancaster, turned himself into police a day after the shooting after he was declared a “person of interest.” He was later charged with one count of accessory after the fact of murder, according to police.

The Lancaster County coroner identified the two men who died as Rakeem Patterson, 21, and Markevis Foster, 22, both of Lancaster.

“While I do not expect the news of this latest arrest to bring the family and friends of the victims closure,” said Lancaster police chief Scott Grant, “it is my sincere hope that they will find a small measure of peace knowing that the person who we believe took the lives of their loved ones is in custody and will be held accountable for his actions.”

Apartment complex residents told The Herald that the two men who were killed didn’t live at Palmetto Place, but were raised in the area.

One woman said she was outside with a large group when the car pulled up.

“We have injuries from ducking and dodging bullets,” she said.

The woman said the car had been driving erratically before it came back and a man began shooting — firing off at least six shots.

“It was so much gunfire ringing off that you couldn’t do anything but hit the floor,” she said.

Officers say three people were shot. Patterson was pronounced dead at Springs Memorial Hospital and Foster was pronounced dead at about 11:10 p.m. after being airlifted to Charlotte, according to Lancaster County Coroner Karla Knight Deese.

The third victim had non-life threatening injuries, police said.

Call the Lancaster Police Department at 803-283-3313 or the anonymous tip line at 803-289-6040 with information.

This story was originally published July 7, 2017 at 4:25 PM with the headline "Lancaster man charged with murder following June double homicide."