The Illinois shooting that devastated one East St. Louis family has placed two teenagers at the center of a sweeping murder case involving five deaths, two wounded survivors, and multiple crime scenes across the city.
According to the Illinois State Police, St. Clair County State’s Attorney James Gomric approved charges on July 14 against 16-year-old Ja’ymier Davis. Authorities said Davis will be prosecuted as an adult in connection with what investigators described as a “targeted mass shooting.”
Davis faces five counts of first degree murder, two counts of attempted first degree murder, two counts of aggravated battery, one count of aggravated vehicular hijacking, one count of dismembering a human body, and one count of unlawful use of a stolen firearm.
The Illinois shooting case also involves a 15-year-old girl whose identity has not been released because she is currently being handled through the juvenile court system. Prosecutors filed a juvenile delinquency petition accusing the girl of first degree murder and other offenses.
Prosecutors plan to ask a judge to transfer her case into adult criminal court. The outlet reported that Davis automatically entered adult court under an Illinois law that excludes certain murder cases from juvenile jurisdiction when the accused person was at least 16 at the time of the alleged offense.
Both teenagers were taken into custody on July 12 at Frank Holten State Park, a recreational area near East St. Louis. Troopers stopped the vehicle Davis was allegedly driving by performing a precision immobilization technique maneuver.
The Illinois shooting investigation began after East St. Louis police requested assistance following the discovery of human remains at the Samuel Gompers Homes, according to ABC7 Chicago. Authorities later identified the victim as 49-year-old Cherie L. May.
Further investigation led authorities to four additional victims at other locations in East St. Louis. Those victims were 24-year-old Devin D. May, 74-year-old Patricia A. May, 21-year-old Quentin L. Thompson, and 25-year-old Shania W. Thompson.
The five victims were discovered across three locations located within a few miles of one another. One victim was killed near North 39th Street and Summit Avenue, three were killed at the Samuel Gompers Homes, and another died at Jones Park.
Two additional relatives were wounded at Jones Park but survived, according to the same report. Authorities said both victims suffered serious injuries and were transported to a hospital in nearby St. Louis.
The Illinois shooting became even more difficult for the family after state police confirmed that every person who was shot was related to the 15-year-old suspect. Her father, Marcus May, told local reporters that he lost several relatives in the violence and identified Davis as his daughter’s boyfriend.
May said his daughter “decided what she wanted to do.”
May offered an emotional but firm response when discussing the accusations against his daughter.
“I can’t show her no sympathy. I hate to be like that, especially in this time. But it is what it is,” he stated.
New allegations emerged when Davis appeared in court on July 15. Prosecutors presented a timeline suggesting that Cherie May was killed days before the four other victims.
The Illinois shooting court presentation also included allegations involving a stolen handgun and communications between the two teenagers. Investigators linked shell casings recovered from multiple locations to a gun found inside the vehicle occupied by the suspects.
Court documents allege that Patricia May’s right thumb was severed after she was killed. That allegation appears connected to the charge accusing Davis of dismembering a human body.
It was also reported that Davis appeared on 12 charges and was ordered to remain in custody. A public defender was appointed to represent him. He was remanded to the custody of the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office and will be held at a juvenile detention center while being prosecuted through adult court.
Despite statements from relatives about what they believe led to the violence, authorities have not publicly established an official motive in the Illinois shooting. The initial court documents did not identify a motive.
A surviving victim’s husband later told ABC7 Chicago that he believed the teenagers’ relationship and opposition from family members played a role. His account remains a family member’s belief and has not been announced by investigators as an official conclusion.
The charges against both teenagers remain allegations that must be proven in court. Prosecutors must also convince a judge to transfer the 15 year old girl’s case before she can be tried as an adult.
As the Illinois shooting case moves through the courts, Patricia A. May, Cherie L. May, Devin D. May, Quentin L. Thompson, and Shania W. Thompson remain at the center of a tragedy that has permanently changed one family.
