In the small city of Opelousas, Louisiana, the holiday season took a somber turn with the death of 39-year-old John Quinell Davis. A man who had just been given a second chance at life, Davis was found deceased in his home on South Railroad Avenue on December 26, 2023, turning a time of celebration into one of mourning for his family. His death was quickly determined to be a homicide.
Just ten days prior, on December 16th, Davis had been released from an eight-year prison sentence.
Eager to start anew, his family had purchased a mobile home for him, a place to call his own as he worked to get back on his feet. He was able to spend Christmas with his loved ones for the first time in many years, a brief and precious reunion before his life was cut short.
The investigation into his murder led Opelousas police to two teenage suspects. On January 3, 2024, 18-year-old Abraham Goodley was taken into custody and charged with murder. Several months later, on May 7, 2024, a second suspect, 18-year-old Martin Benjamin of Opelousas, was also arrested. Benjamin faces charges of second-degree murder and illegal use of a weapon. Both teenagers were booked into the St. Landry Parish Jail.
The investigation remains ongoing as the community and Davis's family await further details and the progression of the legal case against the two young men accused of ending his life just as he was beginning a new chapter.
