Montez Dewayne Davis, a 31-year-old African American male from Gainesville, Florida, tragically lost his life on March 9, 2019. Davis, who worked as an automobile technician and was a 2006 graduate of Gainesville High School, was fatally shot behind the Eighth Avenue Food Store at 1634 NE Eighth Ave, a location often referred to as "The Slab." The incident occurred shortly after midnight and also resulted in a woman being injured.
The shooting followed an argument over drugs involving several people.
James Eugene Boykin Jr., a 20-year-old male, was arrested by the Gainesville Police Department on suspicion of murder in the death of Montez Davis, as well as attempted murder in the shooting of the woman. Boykin, who was also charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force. The police did not disclose how Boykin was identified as a suspect.
A second suspect, Marika Mamielle Allen, was arrested on March 20, 2019, the day before her 29th birthday. Allen faced charges of murder and attempted murder. According to the indictment, Allen tampered with cellphone data to remove evidence and made false reports to law enforcement about a capital felony. She was accused of helping Boykin avoid law enforcement after the shooting.
Both Boykin and Allen were indicted by a grand jury on charges of first-degree murder in the shooting death of Montez Davis and attempted murder in the shooting of the woman. The grand jury also found that Boykin, a convicted felon, was in possession of a weapon. Court records indicated that Boykin had a prior larceny charge from earlier in the year. Both suspects were held without bail in the Alachua County jail as they awaited trial.
