Man accused of killing 81-year-old woman on Christmas Eve appears in court

PHILADELPHIA -- The family of an 81-year-old woman who was shot and killed on Christmas Eve is still looking for answers, as her suspected killer was in court Wednesday.

Marie Buck, a beloved neighborhood fixture, was shot and killed inside her corner grocery store on South 6th Street in South Philadelphia. It was not a robbery.

31-year-old reputed drug dealer Maurice Green was charged in her murder.

Prosecutors say he shot Marie Buck 11 times seeking revenge against her grandson, Robert Buck, accused of being a longtime heroin and crack customer of Green's.

Buck's grandson and his girlfriend testified in court on Wednesday that they are drug addicts who regularly bought heroin from Maurice Green. They testified that they schemed to steal a $5,500 gold chain from Green to buy more drugs.

Prosecutors believe Green went to the store looking for the grandson, and revenge. But Robert Buck wasn't there, so it's alleged Green shot Marie Buck instead.

"I want justice for her. I want justice for her. There's no reason for someone to come in to my mom's store and brutally kill her. No words were said. Nothing was stolen," Marie's daughter Maria Buck said.

Robert Buck and his girlfriend were on the witness stand Wednesday helping prosecutors establish their case against Green.

There is no evidence that he told anyone about the crime. There's only video of a silver Chevy with tinted windows, which is believed to belong to Green, being driven through the neighborhood at the time of the killing and video of the gunman in black with his face covered.

For Buck's family, anyhow, the verdict is in.

"I didn't realize how cruelly my mother was shot. Now I realize she suffered because the first couple of shots would have never killed her," Maria Buck said.

Green has entered a not guilty plea. No trial date has been set.

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