Mother of Lansing murder victim hosts holiday toy drive to honor son

Lansing State Journal

Miranda Burton-Hinton, middle, of Lansing, speaks at a press conference in August 2020 about her son and stepson, who were fatally shot several days earlier.

Correction: Miranda Burton-Hinton's name was spelled incorrectly in an earlier version of this story.

LANSING — The mother of a man who was killed in a double shooting in August on the city's south side is hosting a holiday toy drive to honor her son.

Marcus Jackson-Burton, 32, of Arlington, Texas, and his half-brother, 31-year-old Steven Lee Jackson, were both killed in a shooting Aug. 3.

Jackson-Burton's mother, Miranda Burton-Hinton, decided to host the toy drive to give back to the community and keep her son's giving spirit alive, she said in a video on Facebook. The toy drive runs through Dec. 15. Presents will go to Sparrow’s pediatric intensive care unit, a woman’s shelter and to a Secret Santa for families in need.

August double murder: Second shooting victim dies; families express grief, confusion

Jackson-Burton was an organ donor, and he saved seven people's lives with his donation, Burton-Hinton said in the video.

"Even in death, he still gave," Burton-Hinton said. "We, as Marcus's family, are determined to turn our pain into a purpose."

Jackson-Burton and Jackson had both lived in Lansing before moving to different parts of the country — Jackson-Burton to Texas and Jackson to Atlanta — family members said at a press conference two days after the murder.

Jackson had moved to Atlanta to pursue a career in dancing and modeling. Jackson-Burton was a comedian. They had just returned to Michigan before the shooting.

Jackson-Burton had been in town for less than an hour, dropping his children off with their mother after they had spent a month with him, Hinton-Burton said at the August press conference.

Zacharey Diederichs is charged with two counts of homicide as well as four felony weapons charges. He is accused of killing the two men at a strip mall in the 3400 block of Pleasant Grove Road.

Dequan Townsend, right, and aunt Debbie Nelson, both of Lansing, hold a picture of the late Steven Jackson, Townsend's half-brother, who died in a shooting in August 2020. Steven's half-brother Marcus Jackson-Burton also died from gunshot wounds sustained during the shooting.

The Lansing City Council recognized Jackson-Burton Monday for the impact he had on the community and his family for organizing the toy drive in his honor.

"Marcus was known best for his big smile and deep dimples. If he had a bad day, you would not have known it, because he never stopped smiling and working to ensure the happiness of others," according to the resolution.

Toys can be dropped off at the following locations through Dec. 15:

Classy Image Hair Salon - 3201 W. Saginaw St.
The Dread Bar and Vanity Nails -1515 W. Mount Hope Ave.
Exquizite Body - 3208 S. Pennsylvania Ave.
Fetish LLC - 4601 W. Saginaw St. Suite F
Moneyball Sportswear - 603 N. Waverly Road
Tax Gurus - 4601 West Saginaw St. Suite E1
Wing Heaven - 3418 Pleasant Grove Road

Toys can also be bought on Amazon through a wish list set up by Burton-Hinton.

Contact reporter Kara Berg at 517-377-1113 or kberg@lsj.com. Follow her on Twitter @karaberg95.