Suvechha Sarkar
The residents of Tulsa, Oklahoma, were shaken to their core when 46-year-old loving father and dutiful husband, Jath Ralph Burns, was shot outside his after-hours club in February 2021. His untimely demise left his heartbroken family and friends grappling for answers. A&E’s ‘The First 48: Murder at the Uptown’ sheds light on the evidence of the case, which eventually led the authorities to the killer. Moreover, the episode features interviews with his loved ones and the detectives, who were captured in real time collecting evidence and tracking down the killer.
Jath Burns Died From Gunshot Wounds Outside His Club in Oklahoma
Smitty Smith and Teresa Jackson welcomed Jath Ralph Burns into the world on August 4, 1974, in Brooklyn, New York. According to the show, when he was quite young, his parents were killed. Jath was then taken in by his beloved grandmother, who raised him in South Jamaica in Queens, New York. He was eventually adopted by Edith and Oliver Burns. Despite the tumultuous life, Jath always maintained a close bond with his brothers and sisters. He was known for his infectious laugh and cheerful personality, which helped him make several friends. He was lovingly known as “New York” among them. Over time, Jath moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he dedicated himself to serving the community.
In adulthood, Jath entered into a relationship, which led to the birth of their three children. Although that relationship didn’t work out, he got another chance at love when he met Vina Moore. As their connection deepened, they tied the knot in December 2017. It wasn’t long before Jath and Vina welcomed their three children into the world. Ultimately, he dedicated his life to his children: Jaqwaun Johnson, Chalontae Burns, Jathay Burns, Jada Burns, Jaydon Johnson, and Deaujane Ballard. Since Jath had always been passionate about entertainment, he and his wife established the after-hours club, Uptown, in May 2018.
Jath’s compassionate nature further shone through his philanthropic activities through his business. Around 4 am on February 27, 2021, officials received a call from Uptown Lounge, reporting that a man had been shot. When they rushed to the scene, they identified the man as Jath, and he was declared dead. Detectives noted that he was shot around six times outside the bar. They also recovered six .40-caliber shell casings from the location. The autopsy revealed that Jath was shot in his abdomen, arm, back, and chest. His cause of death was determined to be multiple gunshot wounds, and his manner of death was ruled a homicide.
Witness Statements and CCTV Footage Helped Officials Identify the Shooter
At the scene, authorities questioned several witnesses and discovered that two women got into a fight inside the club, and Jath had tried to break them up. Reports state that the witnesses also said that he then attempted to escort the people causing the disturbance out of the club. An altercation then broke out outside before the shots were fired. Officials reportedly tracked down a woman who was grazed by one of the bullets, and her boyfriend was brought to the station for questioning. According to police records, the man told officials that the shooter had fled in the Jeep of the man’s girlfriend, but insisted he didn’t know the suspect. He went on to say that one of his girlfriend’s friends was asleep in the backseat when the suspect fled the scene.
When officials questioned Vina, she informed the detectives that the woman, her boyfriend, the shooter, and some other individuals had arrived together at the club, as per the records. Law enforcement eventually uncovered CCTV footage, which captured the shooting and the shooter entering the driver’s seat of the Jeep. The footage also captured a woman and another man entering the vehicle before it drove off. According to the investigators on the show, the woman who was present inside the car eventually contacted them, and she was brought back to the police station. In her statements, although she initially denied knowing the suspect, she later admitted that her cousin, Marquan D. Marshall, AKA Famion, was the shooter.
According to court records, the woman told officials that Marquan had gotten into an argument with Jath inside the club, which allegedly angered her cousin. In her statements, she stated that Marquan’s brother was also present inside the car when they fled the scene. As per the show, officials tracked down the brother, who also identified Marquan as the shooter. Ultimately, they issued an arrest warrant for the suspect in February 2021. On June 30, 2021, Marquan was finally taken into custody around 10:45 am and charged with first-degree murder, possession of a firearm after a former felony conviction, and assault and battery on a detention officer. It is essential to note that no other individuals were charged regarding Jath’s murder.
Marquan Marshall is Incarcerated at an Oklahoma Prison Today
Following his arrest, Marquan Marshall was held at the Tulsa County Jail. Detectives then built a strong case against him, emphasizing his prior criminal convictions in the unrelated charges of obstructing an officer and possessing a firearm as a felon. However, publicly available reports do not provide any information on whether he underwent a jury trial or pleaded guilty to the charges he faced regarding the murder of Jath. According to his prison records, Marquan was convicted of first-degree murder and possession of a firearm after a former felony conviction on October 18, 2024. He was subsequently sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole for murder and an additional 10-year prison term for the firearm charge. As of writing, Marquan is serving his sentence at the Allen Gamble Correctional Center in Holdenville, Oklahoma.
