Markest Flowers' family reacts to murder verdict

SOUTH BEND, Ind. - The family of Markest Flowers says they’re ready to let him rest in peace after the jury handed down a murder verdict Thursday for Michael Young.

“I’m just glad for, let Markest rest in peace!” said Jonnie Roberson, Flowers’ grandmother.

Now—he can.

The jury found 70-year-old Vietnam War vet Michael Young guilty of murdering 27-year-old Markest Flowers Thursday.

“These cases are always tough. No matter what the verdict is, you can’t bring back Markest Flowers, but knowing that you’re in a bad situation, a verdict like this is the best of a bad situation,” said St. Joseph County Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, Chris Fronk.

This bad situation started on the night of May 31, 2016, outside of LaSalle Grill, when the prosecution says Young set out to find the person who allegedly took his friend’s money.

Flowers matched the description Young’s friend gave him, so he followed him down the street, ending up here on Colfax Avenue and Main Street.

Even though witnesses say Flowers never responded to Young, they say Young seemed to grab him after he took one step off the curb onto Colfax Ave. and shot him in the face.

“In this case, there were several very good civilian witnesses for people who were just in the right place at the right time, from our perspective. Unfortunately for those civilian witnesses, probably at the wrong place at the wrong time, to see something they really wish they could forget,” said Prosecutor Fronk.

Young claimed self-defense and showed no signs of remorse throughout the trial.

“I was on scene when Markest was laying in the street. I was at homicide when the defendant was interviewed, and seeing what I saw of him then, I would be surprised if he had shown a lot of remorse,” said Prosecutor Fronk.

As Young faces living out the rest of his days behind bars, Flowers’ family is left with Markest’s memory.

“He was kind. He was gentle. He was just, just a wonderful guy,” said Flowers’ grandmother, Jonnie Roberson.

The prosecution says the civilian witnesses were invaluable to this case and wants to thank the community for speaking up.

Michael Young will be back in court for sentencing on July 27.