On the morning of August 18, 2013, the body of 26-year-old Black male David Harbin was discovered by family members inside his residence in Detroit, Michigan. His sisters arrived at the home to find him lying unresponsive on the floor, prompting an immediate call to emergency services. Law enforcement officials responded to the scene and launched a homicide investigation after it was determined that Harbin had died from injuries inflicted during a violent encounter. The subsequent autopsy and inquiry confirmed the nature of the death, leading police to pursue leads on the individual responsible for the killing.
Investigators identified Jarvis Jemel Boykins as the primary suspect in the slaying. Boykins was taken into custody and charged with multiple offenses related to the incident, including second-degree murder, possession of a firearm by a felon, and commission of a felony with a firearm. The case proceeded to trial in Wayne County, where prosecutors presented evidence linking Boykins to the crime scene and the death of Harbin.
In June 2014, a jury returned a guilty verdict against Boykins. He was convicted of second-degree murder as well as the weapons charges. Following the conviction, the court handed down a significant prison term, sentencing Boykins to serve between 35 and 60 years for the murder charge. He received additional concurrent and consecutive sentences for the firearms violations, cementing his incarceration for the death of David Harbin.
