BALTIMORE, MD—The man who shot and killed an MTA bus driver has been sentenced to life in prison.

Marquis Poteat pled guilty to first-degree murder this week and was sentenced to life in prison, suspending all but 60 years. Poteat also pled guilty to the use of a firearm in the commission of a crime of violence and was sentenced to another 20 years to be served concurrently.

Poteat fatally shot and killed MTA Mobility Bus Driver Frankye Duckett in January of 2021 in the-4400 block of Moravia Road (21206). Poteat’s co-defendant, Ernest Ford, is awaiting sentencing for his role as the getaway vehicle driver during the shooting. Assistant State’s Attorney Raiven Taylor prosecuted this case.

“This brazen and senseless act of violence continues to be felt deeply throughout the city,” said Deputy State’s Attorney Thomas M. Donnelly. “Everyone should be able to be safe while on the job, but especially our public service workers whose professions are devoted to serving the residents of Baltimore. I appreciate ASA Taylor’s commitment to delivering justice for the grieving family and friends of Mr. Duckett.”

At just after 5 p.m. on January 29, 2021, officers responded to the 4400-block of Moravia Road for a shooting. Upon arrival, officers located the victim, Frankye Duckett, inside an MTA Mobility bus suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. The victim was transported to Johns Hopkins Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at just after 5:30 p.m.

During the course of the investigation, video footage from the bus was recovered and showed a beige Buick pulling into the parking lot as the victim entered the driver seat of the bus. The passenger of the Buick exited the vehicle, approached the MTA bus, and began shooting through the driver’s side window. The shooter then climbed through the shattered window opening and continued to shoot before returning to the beige Buick and, entering through the passenger door, fleeing the scene.

Further investigation revealed that before the shooting, the bus driver picked up a female passenger from the 1200-block of W. Mulberry Street and drove her to the 4400-block of Moravia Road. The passenger advised detectives that her grandson, Marquis Poteat, got into an argument with the bus driver at her pick-up location where Poteat resides. Bus footage captured this argument, showing Poteat in clothing at the time of the argument that matched the description of the shooter.

Detectives later located a beige Buick LeSabre at the 1300-block of W. Mulberry Street and observed a male enter the vehicle and leave the area. Believing this to be the suspect’s vehicle, officers conducted a traffic stop and identified the driver as Ernest Ford, Poteat’s co-defendant.

BPD’s Mobile Crime Lab processed the beige Buick LeSabre. Swabs of suspected blood were recovered from the passenger door, and DNA analysis determined the sample to be that of Marquis Poteat.

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