In the winter of 2019, on the evening of December 11th, the life of Quincy DeShawn LaRae Gill, a 39-year-old Black man, was tragically cut short in Portland, Oregon. At approximately 9:18 p.m., officers from the North Precinct responded to reports of a shooting in the King neighborhood, near the intersection of Northeast Garfield Avenue and Northeast Fremont Street. Upon arrival, they discovered Quincy suffering from a gunshot wound.
Despite the immediate life-saving efforts of medical personnel at the scene, he was pronounced deceased. The Oregon State Medical Examiner's Office later confirmed that the cause of his death was a gunshot wound and ruled it a homicide. The suspect had fled the scene, leaving investigators in the initial stages of a search for answers.
For nearly three years, the case remained unresolved, and Quincy's family and community awaited justice. The Portland Police Bureau, in partnership with Crime Stoppers of Oregon, offered a cash reward for information leading to an arrest. The break in the case finally came on November 17, 2022, when the United States Marshal's Service Fugitive Task Force arrested 39-year-old Elijah L. Thomas of Portland. At the time of his arrest, Thomas was found in possession of a loaded handgun. He was subsequently interviewed by Homicide Detectives and booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center on a warrant for Murder in the Second Degree, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
Following his apprehension, the legal process moved forward. On December 20, 2024, Elijah Laray Thomas entered a plea to the lesser offense of Manslaughter in the Second Degree and Unlawful Use of a Weapon involving a firearm. This plea was accepted, allowing the case to be resolved without a trial. On January 14, 2025, a Multnomah County Circuit Court judge sentenced the now 41-year-old Thomas to 120 months, or 10 years, in prison for the shooting death of Quincy Gill. After his sentence is served in the custody of the Oregon Department of Corrections, Thomas will be subject to three years of post-prison supervision. The resolution of the case brought a measure of closure to a long and painful chapter for Quincy's loved ones.
