Sheriff: Triple Murder Was A ‘Targeted Ambush’; Victims Identified

April 29, 2024

As the investigation continues, the sheriff is calling Saturday morning’s triple murder early Sunday morning in Escambia County a “targeted ambush”.

Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons said Saturday morning that it appears there two shooters who fired at close range into a parted convertible Mustang at an “adult birthday party” near West Jackson Square at 65th Avenue and Jackson Street about 1:15 a.m. Sunday.

Simons identified the victims as:

  • Markeese Turner, 26
  • Michael Carstarphen, 28
  • Trashawn Powers, 23

Two were pronounced dead at the scene, and the third was pronounced deceased a short time later.

“This is a terrible tragedy that we are investigating as a targeted ambush,” Simmons said.

The sheriff said the shooters parked nearby, walking through a yard, approached the Mustang, and fired multiple rounds.

“This was not random, this was not a drive by,” Simmons said. “This was a shooting that took place at close range and it was clearly was targeted.”

He said the shooting may have been retaliation for a previous incident.

As of Monday, no suspects had been developed.

All available ECSO investigators have been called in and the real-time crime center has been activated. Investigators are also asking anyone who attended the party to review any videos or photos and provide any useful information to ECSO investigators.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP or the ECSO at (850) 436-9620.

Photos WEAR 3 for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Comments

4 Responses to “Sheriff: Triple Murder Was A ‘Targeted Ambush’; Victims Identified”

  1. Stumpknocker on May 2nd, 2024 2:55 am

    I agree with John 100%, but we need to get back to policing like they use to, and remember, gotta break few eggs if ya wanna make mayonnaise.

  2. Mike J. on April 30th, 2024 10:45 am

    Hopefully the guys who committed these murders will be caught, convicted, and lawfully executed in the same manner as they killed their victims. I agree with John with respect for law enforcement. I also have prayers for victims and those officers who fight evil every day.

  3. Chicago here we come. on April 29th, 2024 11:24 pm

    I’m sorry John line it up with the rest of the country lack of parental guidance. There is only so much law enforcement can do. In my day you might get in a fistfight. Today if you loose that fist fight they come back with a gun.

  4. John on April 29th, 2024 6:41 pm

    Pensacola I slowly becoming a crap hole. Each day it is shooting or home invasion
    To many gangs to many drugs in my opinion if law enforcement could have a good solid task force designated strictly to combating the drugs and that is all they do and given the resources that they need it is not to late for the city. The city and county have great officers and leaders, however the city and county commission need to work together and provide the funding needed. The overall cost would be recuperated with more tourists. I have all the respect in the world for law enforcement just give them the ability to make Pensacola a better place.





Have a comment on this story?

We welcome your comments on this story, but there are some rules to follow::

(1) Be Nice. No comments that slander another, no racism, no sexism, no personal attacks.

(2) No Harrassing Comments. If someone says something bad about you, don't respond. That's childish.

(3) No Libel. That's saying something is not true about someone. Don't do it.

(4) Keep it clean. Nothing vulgar, obscene or sexually related. No profanity or obvious substitutions. Period.

(5) NorthEscambia.com reserves the right to remove any comments that violate our rules or we think to be inappropriate. We are not responsible for what is posted. Comments may not appear right away until they are approved by a moderator.

(6) Limit your comments to the subject in this story only, and limit comments to 300 words or less. Do not post copyrighted material. Comments will not be added to stories that are over 30 days old.

(7) No posts may advertise a commercial business or political group, or link to another commercial web site or political site of any kind.