The fourth Tacoma homicide of 2011 occurred on Friday February 25th, a little after five in the morning, two blocks from the house I grew up in. Two women and a 36-year-old man named Marvin Plunkett were sitting in a car and joined by another man. Word is that it was some sort of drug deal. Words were exchanged and the man who got into the car shot the other man and got out. The two women in the car drove the injured man to St. Joseph’s Hospital. He was dead before they got there.
I wish I had more information about this, but everything I know about this crime is in that paragraph above. Despite looking on half a dozen other websites, I was unable to find out the victim’s name. Glancing at various comments on The News Tribune’s blog and elsewhere, most people seem to be treating this killing as a ‘misdemeanor homicide’. Since it was a ‘drug deal gone bad’, who cares that someone died?
I’m sure his friends and family care. I’m sure the neighborhood where this happened cares. And I care. Not simply because I used to walk those streets on a daily basis as a kid, but because drug dealer or not, drug user or not, he was still a person, and it’s unfortunate when anyone is killed.
Let’s be clear here. I’m not saying I’d have your average drug user or dealer watch my kid. But I also don’t think they should just be locked on general principal. They certainly don’t deserve to be shot and killed. And the fact that the news media wrote one article and didn’t even mention the victim’s name means that on some level, they think that since it was a ‘drug deal gone bad’, it’s okay that someone got killed.
Just to prove a point here, let’s take the shooting out of the situation. If there was simply an exchange of drugs for money, what are the horrible consequences for the community at large? Some people would get high. And though there are those who want us to think that drug crazed maniacs are going out raping and killing people, that’s simply not true. The vast majority of people doing drugs are sitting in a room laughing their asses off and eating a little too much Chicken in a Biskit.
As I mentioned, I grew up in that neighborhood. It wasn’t a good place in the late 80s and early 90s. I literally had a collection of shell casings I found around the neighborhood. I was so used to going to bed to the sound of gunshots and sirens that when I went out of town, I had trouble going to sleep. The neighborhood has improved since then. Still, drug deals are going to go on. People are going to do drugs. And some people are going to get shot. But to equate murderers with drug dealers is like equating drug dealers with speeders. The only thing they have in common is that they’re illegal.
If anyone reading this knows the victim in this homicide, please comment below.
-Jack Cameron
tacomastories.com 
Good article Jack, as always. Reminds me of the ‘homicide’ my friend Kelli Seals found in a storage compartment in Forks. Latch was latched from the outside. Kelli rented the facility, unlocked latch and found women–dead–naked from waist up. Police ruled it a ‘suicide’. WTF? When latch was latched from outside? And no woman would be caught ‘dead’ (sorry about the pun) half-clothed. Something’s definately wrong here. Don’t know what to do but pressure police to do their jobs. You know, the one we pay for? Whether they’re drug dealers or not, they still deserve justice.
Jack,
I grew up with the victim. I have not seen him in a long time as we did not grow up in Washington but everyone that I know that knew him is grieving.. I also have looked at some of the articles and comments on other websites and the one thing that many seem to not acknowledge is that he was a person. He is a son, a brother, uncle, cousin, father and friend.
Thank you for taking the outlook that you did as it was refreshing to see someone finally acknowledging that he was a living, breathing human being.
Thanks for your comment. If you’d think the family and friends would approve, I’d really like to put a name on this post for the victim. If not, I understand and send my condolences.
-Jack
thats was my best friend and brother and his name was marvin plunkett…he was a good man and he will be miss!!!to the clowns that did this may god have mercy on your soul!!!!!
Marvin was the father of our two sons, he was a great man who just got caught up in the lifestyle of drugs, which by the way was farely recent. marvin was above all a great father, famiy member and friend. Yes he was a great dad. he spent every waking moment he could with our 2 boys. i have known marvin since 1997, long enough to say i knew him very well. our boys will now grow up without thier father behind some little kids that dont want to live by society’s rules and actually get a job and work for money. i hear the girl involved has a daughter and her public pretender had the nerve to mention that to the judge just before asking for her release.lol are you serious? at least her kid and any other kids if the other people involved have them get to see thier parents, yes behind glass, or on the phone, or thru letters. MY KIDS WILL NEVER AGAIN HAVE THAT LUXERY! i respect your article people judge when they know nothing about the person.
marvin was loved by alot of people and he will be missed greatly! RIP MARV> I LOVE YOU!
p.s. from what i heard, no words were exchanged, marvin never had a chance. the guy shot him for no reason. marvin would have gladly gave everything he had so that he could live to be with his kids.the guy wants to say marvin had a gun. i was with this man for 12 years and never seen him with a gun, not once! I would have gladly given up whatever i had to save him. they got 700.00 dollars. thats what his life was worth to them. 700.00 dollars. RIP MARV.
Marvin was the love of my life and the father of my son. He was a great man. He never had to demand respect because it was always given. There are many details that the media does know and at this time I don’t think I can share too many. BUT I want everyone to know that this was planned way before it ever happened. My boyfriend was not a big dealer. He only did whatever he had to do to provide for me and his 3 boys. The hardest thing is Friday was the day of all our changes. We had a plan…. No more late nights, no more stress, and no more “side gigs”. Our tax money was to set up a business. Vehicle, business license and all. We just didn’t get that far.
Marvin was amazing. He knew EVERYBODY from town people to famous people and had not one enemy. He didn’t deserve to go this way.
I miss him. These people took away a father. The best father ever. He saw all three of his boys EVERY day. He hugged them, kissed them, played with them, teased them, scolded them. More than most fathers do now days.
A lot of people are saying a lot of things about everything, but one thing I want everyone to know. Marv was changing. The things that started to matter were family, home, responsibility and me. Over all and despite any argument, he had my back at the end of the day. He was the best thing that had ever happened to me and my son.
I just want it unerstood that Marvin was who the media has portrayed him to be. He was a MAN that had family values. He respected individuals and favored the underdogs. He trusted everybody and hated no one.
It is unfortunate that his friendliness got him into this situation which resulted in his death.
Marvin Plunkett should be remembered for the man he was during his lifetime and not who the media has portrayed him to be at that moment.
Marvin was my daddy. i was his only girl and the oldest. He ment soo much to me. i still have all this guilt on me and i dont know where its from. Even though he wasnt around much and broke some promises…i still loved him. Once i moved away from Washington everything changed. the only contact i had with him was through the phone. i still remember every minute of the last day i saw him. it was September 4th, 2010. i was waiting outside with my nana and waited. he came up with a green car and once he got out i was almost as tall as him(; we went to my brothers football practice. afterwards we went to the mall to get me some white tennu shoes..he always got me white nikes(: finally he took me back to my nanas and my brothers and i took a picture with him. i have his eyes.. he wont be able to see me graduate or walk me down the aisle at my own wedding.. but instead at looking at the negatives lets look at the positives…. Better to have been loved and lost than to have never loved at all<3 (: this is what i go by every time he crosses my mind… R.I.P Daddy, ypour baby girl LOVES you. see you soon.
p.s. i still think your alive..i think its just your presence now..who knows….
Well since were all on hear saying something I thought I’d Join the fun. He was my uncle, always there and willing to sacrifice to help, he lube with my mom and we enjoyed his company, always making us laugh and pretending to sleep just sooo he wouldn’t have to talk on the phone with anyone.lmao . One thing I will always remember about my uncle is that he was there no matter what.he treated everyone with such respect and hew didn’t deserve to leave gods green earth that way.the last thing I remember my uncle and I laughing about 3 days before he was murdered was the upcoming year I was to graduate from high school , those who know me know it takes alot for me to cry, the day before graduation I went into the bathroom as my mom was putting on her make,up and cried my eyes out because he wouldn’t be there my mother was late for work because she was so trying to calm me down. He wasnt there in a body but he was there in spirit, and everytime that came defiantly made me feel great for succeeding at it. He shows us signs whether we notice it or not that he’s still around laughing at all the
Marvin Plunkett was a good man! He worked at HD Hotspurs for a long time, one of the women was named Jessinda! She lived. He was buying or selling weed, and regardless he was very good human being! He didn’t deserve to be shot!
Can’t believe it’s been 7 years. Marvy Marv was a good friend and person. That’s a quality that you rarely see in people. I know im not the only one who misses his jokes. A good one taken to soon. Rest in peace big bro. You might be gone in body but never in spirit.