On a Thursday evening in Newport News, Virginia, the life of 40-year-old Joel Anthony Davis Jr. was tragically cut short. On October 15, 2020, at approximately 7:53 p.m., police were dispatched to the 300 block of 73rd Street following reports of gunshots. Upon their arrival, they discovered Davis suffering from a gunshot wound. Despite emergency medical efforts, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The events that unfolded shortly after the shooting led to a swift arrest.
As officers were arriving at the location of the shooting, a suspect was seen fleeing in a pickup truck. A brief police pursuit ended when the suspect's vehicle crashed into another pickup truck two streets away. The driver of the second vehicle was not injured in the collision.
The individual apprehended at the crash scene was identified as 28-year-old Cortez Bumphus. Following the incident, Bumphus was taken into custody and subsequently faced multiple charges in connection with the death of Joel Anthony Davis Jr. These charges included second-degree murder, conspiracy, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and possession of a firearm by a felon. Authorities also indicated that additional charges related to the vehicle crash were expected as the investigation continued.
