New Year’s murder in Hamilton

Hamilton police have released the name of the city’s first homicide victim of the year. 23-year old Marley Rowe was shot and killed outside a party in East Hamilton just four hours into the new year.

Marley Rowe was just 23-years old when he became Hamilton’s first murder victim of 2014. He was the victim of a gunshot wound to the head just outside a New Years Eve party on Sherman Avenue North. This woman, who did not want us to reveal her identity, knew Marley and was at a party one floor above when the shooting happened at 4:40am. At first the partygoers didn’t hear anything: “No, because we had music playing so I guess that kind of went over the gunshot, because we didn’t hear anything until we we heard like commotion going on downstairs. So we just walked down and there was a bunch of people kind of screaming, crying, saying somebody just got shot. And so we went out and looked and saw somebody lying in the parking lot.”

They soon found out, that it was Marley, someone she had spoken with just hours earlier.

“I saw him about maybe four hours before it happened and just kinda said ‘Hey, what’s up haven’t seen you in so long’ and that’s about it.”

She said that at the time there were only about 10 people at the party, she has no idea who may have shot Marley but is fairly certain that it wasn’t anyone from the building. Police have yet to make an arrest or release a suspect description. And despite the number of people in the area, are still asking for the public’s help.

News of Marley’s death was reflected on social media as many friends expressed their disbelief. They say Marley leaves behind a young son, and a girlfriend.

The police presence has become lighter in the past day but the investigation continues.  Police are looking for anyone might have information in this case to please come forward.