‘I love blood’: Officials reveal texts between teens accused of killing 5 family members

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. (KMOV/Gray News) – One of the teens accused of killing five people and injuring two others in a mass shooting in East St. Louis appeared in court for the first time on those charges.

At 16 years old, Ja’ymier Davis is facing 12 charges as an adult, including five counts of first-degree murder.

The other person arrested in connection with the mass shooting is a 15-year-old girl who faces charges in juvenile court.

The timeline

According to the State’s Attorney, WT’s aunt, Cherie May, 49, was killed on July 5. She was found inside a storage tote in the dumpster at Godfree Homes.

In court, the Illinois State’s Attorney said Davis shot Cherie at least four times. WT allegedly shot and stabbed Cherie an undisclosed number of times.

While WT and Davis were cleaning related to Cherie’s death, WT’s cousin, Devin May, walked in unexpectedly, according to the State’s Attorney. Davis then shot Devin once in the head, killing him.

In court, Davis said after Devin’s death, WT “lured her grandmother into the apartment” while he hid in a closet. When her grandmother, Patricia A. May, 74, came in, he jumped out and shot her. They then cut off her thumb to unlock her phone.

In court, Davis said about Patricia’s death that, “it happened a while ago. I didn’t plan it. I didn’t want to do it,” and that cutting off her thumb happened after her death, stating, “It was WT’s plan to get money from Patricia.”

Devin and Patricia’s deaths are believed to have happened between July 11 and 12, according to the ISP.

On July 12, Santosha Scott, WT’s cousin, said she was in Jones Park looking for WT when she was shot in the back, allegedly by Davis. Before being taken to the hospital, Scott said she was scared that WT and Davis were going home to hurt the rest of the family.

ISP responded to the 3000 block of Regent, where WT and Davis then left in a red car.

Agents said they found Devin’s body upstairs.

ISP stopped the red car driven by Davis with WT in the passenger seat, taking note of a handgun in plain view, as well as a severed thumb in the door.

Police said they asked WT whose finger it was, to which she allegedly said, “My grandma’s. She’s dead.”

Officers then went to Patricia’s house and did not find her. They allegedly encouraged WT’s father, Marcus Mays, who said he was looking for WT.

The State’s Attorney said Marcus told police a Chevy Traverse that was allegedly stolen by Davis was parked in the back of a nearby home. In the back of the Traverse, police found the body of WT’s sister, 25-year-old Shania Thompson.

Shell casings found in the home and park all mark the gun that was found in the red car. An ATF trace found it was the gun of Tiffany Thompson, WT’s mother, who reported the gun stolen on July 7.

July 12 is believed to be when 21-year-old Quentin Thompson was shot and killed, and Tiffany Thompson was shot in the neck and injured.

A conversation between Davis and WT through Instagram DMs was released by investigators. It is as follows:

• Davis: Well yo auntie easy we can have her at gunpoint and stab her a**
• WT: Oh you you you you I can do that, I love blood
• Davis: You got it and at least we both love ts
• Davis: We gotta do this but taking them out is hard
• WT: Babe I’m finna lose my whole family for you
• Davis: Me too d*** life is crazy
• WT: No like we abt to kill my family im gonna have nb but you im scared asf
• Davis: I understand
• WT: I’ll do it for me but will you do it for me
• Davis: Yes

In court on Wednesday, the defense attorney argued that Davis had been targeted by the family, with Davis having guns pulled on him before, requesting that he be put in protective custody.

The defense attorney said there is intent to file a notice of self-defense, notice of compulsion and a notice of necessity.

Davis was remanded to the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office, where he will be in the juvenile detention center.