In the summer of 2014, the life of 24-year-old Santario McCoy was tragically cut short in Rock Hill, South Carolina. On the night of June 29th, McCoy was at a friend's home in the Sunset Park neighborhood, enjoying an evening of playing video games with friends. The social gathering took a fatal turn when a knock came at the front door. When McCoy answered, he was confronted by 19-year-old Donquavious Dashon Davis.
The violence that erupted was swift and brutal.
Davis, who was reportedly in a jealous rage over his ex-girlfriend dating McCoy, pistol-whipped him before shooting him once in the chest. The single gunshot proved to be fatal, and McCoy died at the scene before paramedics could arrive. The dispute stemmed from Davis's relationship with the mother of his child, who had begun seeing McCoy. This tragic event left McCoy's three young children without a father.
Following the shooting, Donquavious Davis fled, prompting a two-day manhunt by the Rock Hill Police Department. Authorities and McCoy's family publicly urged Davis to surrender. He eventually turned himself in to the authorities in York. Davis was subsequently charged with murder, burglary, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. During legal proceedings, it was revealed that Davis had a prior criminal record and had even attempted to intimidate witnesses from jail. A judge denied him bond, deeming him a danger to the community.
In July 2015, Donquavious Davis pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter, burglary, and a weapons charge. For his crimes, he was sentenced to 40 years in prison. The sentencing brought a measure of closure to the family of Santario McCoy, who remembered him as a protective older brother and a loving father.
