On the evening of December 14, 2025, a violent incident unfolded at the Gibbs Apartment Complex on Milton Avenue in Marianna, Florida. Officers from the Marianna Police Department responded to reports of a shooting at approximately 5:20 p.m., discovering a male victim who had sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Despite the immediate efforts of law enforcement to render lifesaving aid, the individual succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. The victim was identified as Gary Jerome Davis Jr., a 30-year-old resident of Greenwood, Florida, whose sudden death initiated a homicide investigation involving multiple agencies.
As detectives pursued leads, they quickly identified Jashawn Arthur Jones as a person involved in the aftermath of the crime. Jones was taken into custody and charged with accessory after the fact to murder, with his bond initially set at $25,000 during his first court appearance. While Jones was secured, authorities continued their search for a second suspect believed to be directly responsible for the shooting. The investigation expanded beyond Jackson County as law enforcement coordinated with regional partners to locate the additional individual.
The manhunt concluded days later when investigators identified 19-year-old David Arthur Smith as the primary suspect. Smith, who already had an active warrant for an open count of murder, was tracked to Orlando, Florida. On the evening of December 19, 2025, officers from the Orlando Police Department, assisting the Marianna Police and the U.S. Marshals Service, apprehended Smith without incident. The successful capture of both suspects brought a measure of resolution to the case, which Marianna Police Chief Hayes Baggett credited to the cooperative efforts of local and state law enforcement agencies.
