An aspiring Detroit rapper's life was cut short in a fatal confrontation outside a strip club, a grim conclusion to an evening that began with a celebration. Byron Dex Osama Cox, a 21-year-old male, was shot and killed on September 7, 2015, following a dispute that escalated from inside the Crazy Horse gentleman's club on the city's southwest side.
The incident, which occurred around 1:30 a.m., stemmed from an argument over a woman.
The altercation reportedly began when Cox expressed his anger that his girlfriend, a dancer at the club, was about to perform for another man. Witnesses stated that Cox poured champagne over her before the conflict moved outdoors. Surveillance footage later revealed that Cox fired a shot in the air and another outside the club. In the ensuing chaos, he was shot in the chest. Mortally wounded, he fled to a nearby gas station where he collapsed and asked the attendant to call for help before he succumbed to his injuries at a local hospital. Another man was also shot during the incident but was expected to survive.
Two men were arrested and charged in connection with Cox's death. Otis Earl Davis, who was 46 at the time, and Dietrick Odums, then 31, were taken into custody. Davis was initially charged with open murder, possession of a firearm by a felon, and felony firearm. Odums faced charges of assault with intent to murder, possession of a firearm by a felon, and felony firearm. During legal proceedings, Davis's attorney argued that his client acted in self-defense.
Ultimately, both men accepted plea deals. Otis Earl Davis pleaded guilty to manslaughter and a felony firearm charge. On January 26, 2017, he was sentenced to 5 to 22 years in prison for the manslaughter conviction and a consecutive 5 years for the firearm charge. Dietrick Odums pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to two years in prison.
