Everett High School junior killed in homicide had dreams of playing professional football

LANSING — Marshawn Beard had dreams of being a professional football player. 

Conditioning for Everett High School's team had just started up again in preparation for the fall season and Marshawn was ecstatic, his girlfriend, Sthefany Garcia, said. He was so excited to get back to the sport he loved. 

"He just wanted to play football," Sthefany said. "All he wanted to do was play."

Marshawn was killed before his senior year of high school, before he could make his dreams come true. 

He and 19-year-old Damon Johnson Jr. were shot and killed in a double homicide near Rotary Park in Lansing early Monday, police said. No one has been arrested in connection with their deaths. 

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Family and friends held a vigil and released red and white balloons — Marshawn's favorite colors and the colors of Everett High School and his favorite college football team, Alabama Crimson Tide — Wednesday evening at Frances Park.

"This is a nightmare you never imagine happening," said Tanaysha Beard, one of Marshawn's sisters. 

Tanaysha Beard said Marshawn was looking forward to getting his driver's license. He'd just received his permit and she had been taking him driving nearly every day. 

He was bummed to have to miss some of the football conditioning practices because of driver's education classes, she said. 

Terra Riley-Watson, a mentor and academic coach at Everett, said she has known Marshawn since he played with the Lansing Area Titans, a youth football league for kids up to eighth grade. 

"Marshawn was shy, he was kind-hearted, he cared deeply for his family," Riley-Watson said. "His life aspiration was to play professional football so he could provide an exceptional life for his family. He never said better life; he always said great life." 

Marshawn felt his mother provided an excellent life for him, Riley-Watson said. He poured love over her and honored and respected his father, she said. 

He was respectful, a great friend, a leader and was committed to his school attendance and classwork, she said.

"He lived his life to the fullest," Riley-Watson said. "We were blessed as a community and as a family to have him."

Keora Downell, Marshawn's cousin, said Marshawn adored his big family and always was willing to babysit for his nieces. When Tanaysha's daughter was born, he quickly fell in love with her, Tanaysha said. 

His bond with his siblings was "unbreakable," Downell said. He set aside time to check on his grandparents often and loved spending time with them. 

His nickname was "Man-Man" because he's "always been a little man and mature beyond his years," she said. 

"Marshawn is a treasure, as our grandmother often says," Downell said. "He is the baby boy of our bunch, and he is our pride and joy."

Riley-Watson said she is working with other organizations throughout the community to flood Lansing's south side with activities to keep the kids busy all summer. She doesn't want other families to have to deal with the pain of losing a child or loved one to gun violence. 

"We have to know where they are, we have to have eyes on them," she said. "They have to know they're in our hearts."

To change things is going to take community resources, Riley-Watson said. And it means changing the culture and climate of the people who live in the city. 

"He will be greatly missed, but his life, his memory and his legacy will be honored and recognized by Everett class of 2022," she said. "This is truly a case of just being caught in the crossfire. And the crossfire has to stop. A ceasefire has to be called."

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