Marcus Foster - Murder

Murder

Foster was murdered in 1973 by members of the Symbionese Liberation Army. The SLA claimed they killed Foster because of his alleged support of a plan to create a student identification card system in Oakland that proponents claimed would help keep non-student drug-dealers off campus. In reality, Foster had opposed the identification cards and had worked to water down the plan. The SLA also objected to police officers in the schools, but again they were mistaken as to Foster's position; Foster had stated that he would not allow police officers in the schools. Foster was shot eight times with bullets that had been dipped in cyanide. His deputy, Robert Blackburn, was also shot, but survived. Joseph Remiro and Russ Little were sentenced to life in prison for their role in the attack. Little was later released on appeal. SLA leader Donald DeFreeze is suspected of being the other person present who shot Blackburn.

Foster is buried in Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland. He was survived by his widow, Albertine Ramseur Foster, who died in 2011 and was buried alongside him, and his daughter, Rev. Marsha Foster Boyd, PhD, President of Ecumenical Theological Seminary in Detroit, Michigan.