James Anthony Davis Jr., a 29-year-old African American male, was found dead in the passenger seat of a car in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, on December 15, 2017. The police responded to a report of gunshots in the parking lot of 550 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive around 1:45 a.m. Upon arrival, they discovered a silver Acura MDX that had collided with another car parked at 715 N. Cleveland Avenue. Inside the Acura, officers found Davis shot to death.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The preliminary investigation revealed that the Acura had been driven to a business located at 550 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive just after 1:00 a.m. Davis and the other occupants of the car went inside the business. While they were inside, another car, a Dodge Charger, pulled up near the Acura and remained there until Davis and the others came out. A black man approached the passenger-side window and shot Davis before driving north toward Cleveland Avenue. The Acura, with Davis inside, left the area and collided with the parked car minutes later.
Detectives do not believe this was a random act of violence. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities have urged anyone with information to contact CrimeStoppers. This incident marked the 24th homicide in Winston-Salem in 2017, surpassing the 23 homicides that occurred in 2016.
In connection with the case, Rashone Edward Lee, a 26-year-old African American male, is wanted for Assault with a Deadly Weapon Inflicting Serious Bodily Harm stemming from the death of James Anthony Davis Jr. The police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting and are working to apprehend the suspect.
