A Washington state man, Isiah Davon Martin, was sentenced to nearly 61 years in prison for orchestrating the murder of 16-year-old Larry “Trae” Marshall III in 2023. Martin, 31, was found guilty of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and second-degree murder after a jury convicted him in June 2023.
The tragic events unfolded on March 29, 2023, when Martin ordered two teenagers, Davonte J. Pool (17) and Vincent L. Bradley III (16), to murder Trae in retaliation for a robbery Martin had suffered four days earlier. The robbery, which occurred on March 25, had been committed by people associated with Trae, but he himself was not involved.
Prosecutors revealed that Martin, enraged by the robbery and seeking revenge, recruited the two teens to track down someone to punish.
The three men drove to Lakeside Landing Apartments in Tacoma, Washington, and upon seeing Trae, who was walking to meet his friends, Martin instructed Pool and Bradley to open fire. The teens fired a total of 33 rounds at Trae, fatally wounding him, before quickly leaving the scene.
Despite Trae having no connection to the robbery, Martin blamed him for being associated with the individuals who had taken his belongings and for allegedly mocking him online. This set the stage for an ambush that ended the young life of a promising teenager.
Pierce County Superior Court Judge Philip Sorensen condemned Martin’s actions, emphasizing that as an adult, he had the responsibility to guide and mentor youth, not lead them to commit violent crimes. “To me, this is the worst kind of betrayal to this community,” Judge Sorensen remarked during the sentencing.
In contrast to Martin’s testimony that the teens acted on their own, prosecutor Brad Hashimoto emphasized that Martin was the only adult in the car and had the motive to set up the ambush.
Both Davonte Pool and Vincent Bradley were convicted in earlier proceedings and sentenced to 20 years in prison for their roles in the shooting.
Family members of Trae have since paid tribute to him, describing him as a smart, funny, charismatic, and talented athlete, who was loved deeply by those who knew him. A GoFundMe page set up in his honor shares that Trae was so much more than words could convey, leaving behind a grieving community.
