On May 14, 2018, Arthur Anderson, a 31-year-old Black male, was found lying in the street in the 200 block of Rocklawn Avenue in Danville, Virginia, with a gunshot wound. He was transported to Sovah Health Danville, where he later died from his injuries. The investigation into his death quickly pointed to a planned robbery that escalated into a fatal shooting.
According to information revealed in search warrants, the incident was the result of an "altercation" that occurred during a
"planned robbery". The primary suspect, Diarion Davis, was identified through the investigation. Davis's wife informed investigators that her husband and two other unnamed individuals had planned the robbery via cell phone. She admitted to driving her SUV to Rocklawn Avenue where she witnessed an altercation that led to her husband firing a revolver. She then drove away from the scene.
Following the shooting, Diarion Davis fled to Greensboro, North Carolina. However, his freedom was short-lived. Approximately 13 hours after the shooting, Greensboro police officers attempted to arrest him, resulting in an officer-involved shooting where Davis was injured. He was taken into custody and subsequently returned to Danville to face charges related to Arthur Anderson's death.
A Danville grand jury indicted Davis on charges of first-degree murder, use of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and possession of a firearm by a violent convicted felon. In June 2019, Diarion Davis, then 30 years old, was convicted for the murder of Arthur Anderson. He was sentenced to 40 years in prison for the murder, with 15 years suspended. In addition to the murder sentence, he received another eight years for firearms convictions, bringing his total prison sentence to 33 years.
