South Phila. says goodbye to beloved, murdered store owner

SOUTH PHILADELPHIA (WTXF) - It was a packed house as final goodbyes took place a beloved grocery store owner, was gunned down in cold blood.

Marie Buck's funeral took place Friday morning, four blocks from the scene of the crime, and the 81-year-old was remembered as a pillar of the community.

Thursday night, hundreds of mourners lined up outside a South Philadelphia funeral home to pay their respects.

Buck was shot Christmas Eve morning while working behind the counter of Marie's Grocery, the store on S. 6th Street she owned for more than 40 years and was due to retire from, next month.

Her suspected killer is in jail and her murder is being called an act of revenge.

Wednesday, police arrested Maurice Green and they charged him on Thursday.

FOX 29's Steve Keeley reports the 31-year-old from Overbrook grew up with his grandparents in that same South Philadelphia neighborhood. They lived four blocks from the store, went to the store as a kid and knew the family. He may have even known Buck herself.

Then, Keeley reports from police, when his grandparents moved to Overbrook, he dealt drugs with Buck's grandson, who is in his late 20s.

Investigators say Green killed Buck because he claimed her grandson stole his expensive gold chain and wouldn't pay for it.

Police said Bucks' grandson was supposed to be working in the store that morning but he didn't show up. Instead, police say Green quickly entered and shot the grandmother who ended up working that day, 11 times in her chest point-blank. Then, he left without taking anything.

Turned out, Buck had $750 in cash in her pocket and more money in the cash register, possibly enough to pay any debt.

Police are still searching for the gun used in the crime.

Buck worked in her store six days a week and lived just a few doors away with her husband.

Green has 15-17 prior arrests as an adult, including two others this year. Most involved drugs.