EUCLID, Ohio — “I wake up every morning to reality, my son will never walk through the door again,” said Anita Deal.
It’s a harsh reality that Deal has dealt with every day. Her 13-year-old son Maurco Toler was about to knock on a friend’s front door near E. 260th Street and Zeaman Avenue in Euclid back in December of 2021 when a dark-colored Ford Escape drove by and someone inside fired shots at the house, hitting and killing Toler.
Sadly, Toler is the third son that Deal has lost to gun violence within four years.
“My son was 13 years old, and he had so many goals that he wanted to accomplish that we’ll never see,” said Deal.
The US Marshals already arrested two suspects in Toler’s murder last year, and both are still awaiting trial. Now investigators are looking for a third suspect in Toler’s murder, 18-year-old Javyonne Stewart.
“We have officers actively working on the investigation, following up on leads, but we’re at the point where we’re asking people close to the target to step up and give us information if they have it,” said Josh Lowe with the US Marshals of Northern Ohio.
While investigators are calling on the public to help them, Deal is narrowing in on the parents.
“I’ve pleaded with multiple parents, nothing. So I blame each and every last one of their parents,” said Deal.
Toler’s murder still sits unsolved 20 months later. The marshals said they have a new cold case unit aimed at uncovering details in unsolved murders, and Toler’s case is part of that unit.
“We join with our local partners, and we reach out with that communication and ask them what cases do they have where they started working, and it kind of ran dry,” said Lowe.
Regardless, Deal said she won’t ever let the case go cold
“To the parent of Jayvonne Stewart, turn your son in, turn him in, do what’s right,” said Deal.
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