Families of two murder victims are expressing their outrage after a plea deal from Hennepin County’s prosecutor’s office seemingly undermined their quest for justice. The deal allows confessed killer Marquez Hill-Turnipseed to potentially walk free in less than 27 years, despite his admission to two separate murders.
At just 24 years old, Hill-Turnipseed pleaded guilty to the shooting deaths of Eloe Lomax and Stageina Whiting. The first murder occurred during a drive-by shooting in 2022, followed by the tragic death of Whiting in 2025 amid a chaotic scene on Boom Island in Minneapolis, where authorities reportedly recovered 130 shell casings from multiple firearms.
Instead of imposing consecutive sentences for each murder, the office of Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty negotiated a concurrent 40-year sentence. This means Hill-Turnipseed could be eligible for release after serving two-thirds of his sentence, potentially leaving prison around the age of 50.
The families of the victims are devastated by the outcome. Tasha Blanks, mother of Stageina Whiting, expressed her frustration, stating, “They were two different people. They should have been tried separately.”
Similarly, Talanda Burks, mother of Eloe Lomax, voiced her anger, saying, “He murdered my son first. It should have been treated as two separate cases.”
Whiting’s aunt, TT Toni, added to the chorus of discontent, questioning how two lives could be treated as one in the eyes of the law. The Boom Island shooting scene was described as resembling a “war zone,” further emphasizing the severity of the crimes.
During the court proceedings, Hill-Turnipseed offered an apology, claiming, “My family got to go through the same thing.” This statement drew immediate rebuke from Judge Michael Burns, who asserted that Hill-Turnipseed had not experienced the same loss as the families of the victims. “I understand people might not be happy with the negotiation in this case,” the judge remarked, “but I’m going to follow the negotiation in this case.”
A spokesperson for the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office responded to the backlash, emphasizing that the years assigned in sentencing do not equate to the value of the lives lost. They stated, “Mr. Hill-Turnipseed will be removed for decades from the community he harmed.”
Mary Moriarty, who took office in January 2023, has faced criticism for her approach to criminal justice, with some accusing her of prioritizing rehabilitation over incarceration for serious offenses. While she has championed reform, the recent plea deal has left many questioning the safety and justice for victims’ families.
As the community grapples with the implications of this plea deal, one has to wonder: what does justice truly look like in the eyes of those left behind?
