On a Wednesday afternoon, just a day before Thanksgiving in 2023, the life of Nicole Lashawn Davis, a 40-year-old Black / African American female, was tragically cut short. The events unfolded around 4 p.m. on November 22nd, outside an apartment complex in the Parkrose Heights neighborhood of Northeast Portland, Oregon. What should have been a time of gathering and gratitude with family turned into a scene of unimaginable violence and loss.
In the days leading up to the fatal encounter,
there were signs of trouble. Nicole had been in a relationship with Richard David Simms, Jr., and they had lived together. Though they were estranged at the time, tensions escalated when Simms became angry that Nicole’s family was staying with her for the Thanksgiving holiday. Her relatives later reported to the police that just two days before the shooting, Simms had punched Nicole, leaving her with a black eye. On the day of the shooting, a dispute broke out between Simms and Nicole's family members when they returned to the apartment complex from grocery shopping.
The argument took a horrifying turn when Simms pulled out a gun and aimed it at Nicole. He pulled the trigger, but the weapon malfunctioned. As Nicole turned to retreat into the safety of the apartment, Simms managed to get the gun to work. In front of her own family, he shot her three times in the back. When East Precinct Officers arrived at the scene in the 11100 block of Northeast Weidler Street, they found Nicole deceased. The suspect had already fled, leaving a family shattered.
Homicide detectives began an investigation that identified Richard David Simms, Jr., who was 30 at the time, as the suspect. An arrest warrant was issued, and on March 19, 2024, with the assistance of U.S. Marshals and various Portland Police Bureau teams, Simms was taken into custody. He was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center on charges of Murder in the Second Degree, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Ultimately, Simms Jr. was convicted of Manslaughter in the First Degree, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm. On August 19, 2025, a judge sentenced the now 32-year-old to 29 years in prison for the killing of his former girlfriend.
