Brandie N. Toombs, a 25-year-old Black female, was fatally shot in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on the evening of April 24, 2019. The incident occurred around 6 p.m. near the intersection of 77th Street and Medford Avenue. Toombs was discovered slumped over in the driver's seat of her vehicle, having sustained a gunshot wound to the back of the head.
At the scene, investigators found $525 in her left hand and over $1,600 in cash in her pocket.
It was learned through the investigation that Toombs was involved in selling cellphones. The last call she made was traced to a Facebook account belonging to a man named Fred Davenport. This lead proved to be crucial in solving the case.
Further investigation revealed that Davenport and another man had planned to rob Toombs. An informant told police that the two men ambushed her to steal the cash she was known to carry for her cellphone business. Photos on Davenport's Facebook page showed him wearing a distinctive, multi-colored jogging suit, which matched the description of the shooter. According to authorities, Davenport brandished a gun and demanded money from Toombs. When she attempted to drive away by putting her car in gear, she was shot. The two men then fled the scene without taking any money.
Two months after the shooting, Fred Davenport, then 23, was arrested in Upper Michigan. In February 2020, he pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree reckless homicide as a party to a crime. On October 12, 2020, Davenport was sentenced to 35 years in prison for his role in Brandie Toombs' death. He was also sentenced to 15 months of extended supervision upon his release.
