BALTIMORE, MD – An online marketplace transaction has tragically turned fatal for an 18-year-old from Pennsylvania in Baltimore, where he was attempting to purchase a car advertised on Facebook Marketplace. The incident occurred on Harlem Avenue in the Mosher neighborhood last Sunday.

According to police, the victim, identified as Carlos Carrazana Ricardo, had driven approximately 80 miles from Lancaster, PA, to Baltimore with a friend for the car purchase. When they decided to abandon the transaction, Ricardo was shot in the head as they attempted to leave the scene. He succumbed to his injuries at Shock Trauma.

Authorities have arrested and charged 18-year-old Marques Harris with first-degree murder, attempted murder, and further related offenses in connection with Ricardo’s death. Ricardo had emigrated from Cuba to Lancaster just last year and was a senior at J.P. McCaskey High School. The school community has been left reeling from the loss, with the principal, Dr. Justin Reese, expressing their collective grief and urging the community to keep Ricardo’s family and friends in their thoughts.

The suspect, Harris, who was identified by the companion of the deceased, admitted to being the seller of the vehicle but claimed to have heard gunshots after returning to his brother’s car when the sale did not proceed. Law enforcement officials located Harris at his residence, where a handgun was also found.

Councilman John Bullock, representing the district where the shooting occurred, expressed profound sadness upon hearing about the incident, empathizing with the victim’s family and emphasizing the difficulty of dealing with such loss. Bullock drew attention to the broader issue of violence in the city, noting that although homicide and deadly shooting numbers have decreased this year, even one loss is too many and that greater efforts are required to prevent crimes among young people.

Harris is scheduled for a preliminary court hearing on January 3, as the city continues to struggle with the impact of violent crimes and the safety of its inhabitants.