Marcus Critten

Marcus Critten was a young man known to family and neighbors as someone who cared for those around him. A graduate of Taylor Allderdice High School, Marcus had recently begun volunteering with a local neighborhood group that worked to improve the community and reduce violence. Those who knew him described him as helpful and respectful — a person friends and strangers alike could rely on.

Marcus was a father; his daughter’s fifth birthday fell just before his death, and family members spoke of the central place she held in his life. His sister recalled him as someone who would be there for others, and the mother of his child called him a “really good family man.” In the weeks before he died, Marcus planned to enroll in a carpet-installation program in January, demonstrating his intention to build stable skills and a future for himself and his family.

He lived in the Glen Hazel neighborhood of Pittsburgh, where neighbors remember him not only for his personal warmth but for his recent efforts to be part of positive change in the community. Local residents and tenant leaders noted his involvement with neighborhood improvement efforts, and those memories form part of how people recall him today.

Marcus’s life was cut short on October 13, 2014. The circumstances of his death received attention in local news and weighed heavily on his community and family. While public details focus on that day, the memories shared by those who knew him emphasize his role as a caring father, a brother, and a neighbor who wanted better for his community.

Though public records about Marcus are limited, what emerges from reliable local reporting is the portrait of a young man trying to move forward — seeking work, volunteering locally, and caring for his child. In remembering Marcus Critten, those who loved him hold to the simple, human truths he embodied: a readiness to help, a devotion to family, and a desire to build a more hopeful future for himself and his community.