On the evening of September 9, 2004, in Portland, Oregon, the life of 31-year-old Kenneth Ivey Davis, a Black / African American male, was tragically cut short. At approximately 9:30 p.m., officers responded to reports of a shooting in the area of 6015 NE Going Street. Upon their arrival, a group of people flagged them down and directed them to the west exit of The Backswing Tavern.
There, in the parking lot, they found Kenneth Ivey Davis lying on his back with an apparent gunshot wound.
Witnesses at the scene reported having seen Davis in the parking lot of the tavern just moments before the shooting occurred. Despite the presence of potential witnesses, the events leading up to the fatal shot remain unclear to the public. The investigation that followed the discovery of Davis's body was extensive, likely involving a thorough examination of the crime scene, interviews with those present, and the analysis of any available forensic evidence.
To this day, the case of Kenneth Ivey Davis's death remains an unsolved cold case. No arrests have ever been made in connection with his murder, and no suspects have been publicly identified. The Portland Police Bureau's Cold Case Homicide Unit continues to seek any information that might lead to a breakthrough in the investigation. The absence of resolution has left the family and community of Kenneth Ivey Davis without closure for the violent loss of a young man's life.
