In the winter of 2020, a young life was abruptly cut short in Lexington, Kentucky. Ja'Quis D'Aaron Kelvon Ray, a 20-year-old male known affectionately as 'Pooda,' was fatally shot on December 28th. The incident unfolded in the parking lot of the Woodhill Food Mart, where Ray was discovered in the driver's seat of a car with a gunshot wound to his head.
He was rushed to a nearby hospital but ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
At the time of the shooting, Ray was not alone; a woman of the same age was also in the vehicle and sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Initial reports were unclear as to whether her injuries were from a bullet graze or shattered glass. Law enforcement officials quickly launched an investigation, utilizing surveillance footage from the scene to identify a suspect. The video captured a man in his early 20s with shoulder-length dreadlocks, armed with a pistol, firing multiple shots at the SUV Ray occupied.
The investigation led police to identify Caelan Gills as the primary suspect. A warrant for his arrest was issued, and he was charged with murder, wanton endangerment, and fleeing police. Gills was apprehended in March 2021 following a high-speed chase. His indictment also noted that he was a persistent felony offender.
Ja'Quis Ray was remembered as a loving father to his daughters and a cherished member of his family and community. His death marked Lexington's 34th homicide of the year, a record for the city at the time. The legal proceedings against Caelan Gills are ongoing as those who knew and loved Ja'Quis Ray continue to seek justice.
