In Loving Memory: David McReynolds

Editor's note: David McReynolds, 54, in the Grant Park neighborhood. His killer or killers remain at large. Jackon Faw, a resident of neighboring Peoplestown, wrote the following tribute to his neighbor that he shared on the neighborhood's Facebook page this week.

David McReynolds was one of our neighbors. He walked down our street every day to the small grocery store at the corner of Ormond and Martin to buy his “numbers.” David was friendly to the granddaughters of our neighbor, Josephine, whose two girls sit in the front yard every day and know the names of everyone’s dog that walks by their house.

David was 54 years old and lived on Augusta Street in Grant Park, two blocks from the park.

He was a kind man who was friendly and harmful to no one. According to the police, he was killed by three youths because he refused to give them money, or perhaps he didn't have any money to give them. David was shot in the chest and left to die on the sidewalk just around the corner from our house.

Josephine and her girls heard the gunshot in the middle of a beautiful, sunny afternoon. The body of the neighbor that walked by and said hello every day was laying on the sidewalk just feet from their house as the police investigated the crime scene.

Yesterday Haley got a basket of food and a card, and I left to find David’s house to speak with his family and offer our sympathies.   David lived with Sheila and Arthur Wallace, who considered him part of their family.  Arthur was David’s godfather, and Sheila says that “David was like a brother to me.”

On Thursday afternoon, Sheila came upon the crime scene just a block from their house. Someone told her that a boy had been shot, and Sheila’s first thought was how horrible it was going to be for the person that had to deliver the news to boy’s mother.

An hour or so later, a detective knocked on her door to tell Sheila that David was the victim.

Sheila and Arthur told me that their life has been changed forever. David helped with household chores and kept Arthur company. “If he hadn’t been killed he’d be sitting right there watching TV with us” she told me.  “I don’t know what we’re going to do.”

When bartender John Henderson was murdered in 2009, the entire city was outraged. Before the , dozens of gang members were arrested by a joint FBI and GBI task force.

It’s not likely that Sheila and Arthur Wallace can afford to put up billboards in memory of David McReynolds. Publicity related to his death was scant at best; the news reports are already fading.

There is no need to state the obvious. I only hope that this sad, sick, senseless killing will not be forgotten by our community. It will never be forgotten by those who knew and loved David McReynolds.

Arthur and Sheila gave me permission to give their address.  If you’d like to bring some flowers or food or just stop by, they are at 307 Augusta, between Hill and Grant streets.