Maceo Ve’Aundreas Burton was a man who loved music of all kinds and expressed himself through singing, dancing, rapping, and writing poetry. Born on April 10, 1978, he was remembered by his loving mother, four brothers, and a host of other relatives and friends for all the sorrow, joy, and fun that made him who he was. He accepted Christ at an early age, becoming a member of St. John Baptist Church where he sang in the children's, youth, and junior male choirs. Maceo even taught himself to play the piano, often playing the song "God Has Smiled On Me." His life, filled with music and family, was cut tragically short at the age of 48.
In the pre-dawn hours of Monday, May 11, 2026, Maceo, a Black male, was at the Eagle Fuels gas station on the 3800 block of East Livingston Avenue in Columbus, Ohio. At approximately 4:55 a.m., while he was seated in his vehicle in the station’s parking lot, he was shot. Columbus Police officers arrived to find Maceo with a gunshot wound.
Paramedics rushed him to Grant Medical Center in critical condition, but his injuries were too severe. He was pronounced dead at 5:38 a.m.
The Columbus Division of Police launched a homicide investigation, which soon revealed that Maceo had been shot during a robbery. Homicide detectives reviewed surveillance video from the gas station, which reportedly captured two men robbing him. Using the video and cell phone records that placed a suspect in the area at the time of the murder, investigators identified one of the men as 31-year-old Samuel Lovejoy. Police issued a warrant for Lovejoy’s arrest, charging him with murder.
On May 28, 2026, Samuel Lovejoy was arrested in connection with Maceo Burton's death. A Franklin County Grand Jury later indicted Lovejoy on multiple felony charges: one count of aggravated robbery, one count of aggravated murder, two counts of murder, one count of felonious assault, and one count of having weapons while under disability. With the exception of the weapons charge, every count included a firearm specification for brandishing a weapon during the crime.
Lovejoy was arraigned in a Franklin County court, where he pleaded not guilty to all charges. A judge set his bond at $1 million, and he remains in custody. Police have stated that a second suspect was also involved in the fatal robbery but has not yet been identified. The investigation into Maceo Burton's murder remains active and ongoing.
As of June 2026, while one suspect faces trial, the search for the second individual continues. Detectives believe this person may have crucial information about the circumstances that led to Maceo's death. The Columbus Division of Police is asking for the public's help in identifying this second suspect.
Anyone with information regarding the case or the identity of the second person involved is urged to contact Detective Polgar at 614-645-4196 or [email protected]. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-TIPS (8477).
