Tsihnik Cavallero pleaded innocent Monday to first-degree murder while armed and a weapons violation in the January death of 21-year-old Marcus Minor.
Cavallero was originally charged with second-degree murder while armed, but a grand jury indicted him on the more serious first-degree murder charge.
Charging documents say that Minor and Cavallero both sold marijuana and hung out on Stevens Road Southeast, where the shooting happened. Two witnesses reported seeing Cavallero and Minor arguing moments before the shooting.
Before he was shot, Minor had pulled out a gun but then returned it to his waistband. The two had been arguing, charging documents state.
“You pulled a gun out, you should’ve used it,” Cavarello said as he stood over Minor’s body in the late afternoon on January 24. A witness told police it saw Cavallero shoot Minor multiple times.
Moments later, police would find Minor’s body lying on the sidewalk in the 1300 block of Stevens Road Southeast. Minor was shot six times, including one shot to the back of his head.
According to the witness account, Cavarello and another individual known as “Ace” were seen fist fighting earlier that day. Cavarello’s friend broke up the fight, at which point Cavarello got in his car and drove away.
Then “Ace” told Minor to get a gun and Minor took off running down Wade Road.
The witness grew anxious about a possible altercation when it noticed Cavarello hiding behind a house several minutes later. Minor came walking back down Stevens Road, at which point Cavarello approached him.
The argument ensued. On January 24, Minor would put his gun away only to die shortly after.
Cavarello will appear before Judge Jennifer Anderson for a status hearing on Feb. 2, 2015.
A copy of the indictment is below:
