MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The teen charged in the shooting death of a beloved Memphis street vendor known as "The Watermelon Man" is now out of jail after posting $100,000 bond.
16-year-old Demarion Tackett will be tried for murder as an adult, the Shelby County District Attorney's Office confirmed in February.
Tackett faces several charges, including first-degree murder, after Memphis Police said he shot 76-year-old John Materna during a robbery on May 15, 2023. Materna then died on May 29.
Tackett had been in jail on a $100,000 juvenile court bond. That bond was posted March 29, 2024. The teen's charges include first degree murder, aggravated and especially aggravated robbery, murder in perpetration of a robbery, carjacking, and possession of a firearm in commission of a dangerous felony.
Background
76-year-old John Materna, who was known around the neighborhood as the “Watermelon Man,” was shot May 15 while selling fruit out of his truck, like he had done for 30 years.
According to court documents, officers found John Materna lying on the ground at the corner of Homer and Wayne suffering from a gunshot wound on his left side. A black revolver was also lying next to him, the affidavit said. He was taken to Regional One Hospital in critical condition, where he later died on May 29.
His family memorialized him at the spot he regularly sold watermelon on Sunday, June 4.
“I just want my Pappie back, and once I get him back, I’ll be happier than I ever have been, and I’ll stop being emotional,” said Callen Fogle, Materna’s great-grandson.
The evening was a very emotional moment for Materna’s family, who laid him to rest earlier the same day. That evening, they joined a large group of people in a candlelight vigil.
All five of Materna’s kids worked summers selling watermelon at the corner of Homer and Wayne. The family admits they did not know how many people their father impacted until Sunday’s vigil, but the evening put it all in perspective.
Throughout the hour, people who made a stop to Materna’s truck shared stories, tears and songs. Everything ended in a somber moment, with people offering one last wave goodbye and smile, like the Watermelon man had done for decades.
“Just something that easy as a wave, hold the door open for somebody at the store, say ‘Thank you!’ that’s how we were raised, that’s our father, that’s his legacy,” said Steve Materna, one of John Materna’s five children, “He touched a lot of lives, wearing a crazy shirt, wearing a funny hat, sitting at the corner selling watermelon.”
Materna’s family told ABC24 they appreciate the support the community has shown, however, they still want justice for their father’s death.