Campbell Hall shooting suspect James Eric Davis Jr. faces homicide, weapons charges
James Eric Davis Jr., the 19-year-old sophomore suspected of killing his parents in a campus shooting yesterday, faces two counts of homicide-open murder and a charge of weapons-felony firearm (possession of a weapon to commit a murder), according to Central Michigan University officials.
CMU Police Chief Bill Yeagley released initial details related to the double homicide that occurred on the fourth floor of Campbell Hall. He said the criminal investigation is active and ongoing.
Police believe Davis Jr. to have shot and killed his parents – James Eric Davis Sr. and Diva Jeneen Davis – at about 8:30 a.m. March 2 on the fourth floor of Campbell Hall. After a 15-hour manhunt, Davis Jr. was apprehended in the early morning of March 3, north of campus near railroad tracks.
University officials say more information will be released when it becomes available.
CMU police confirmed the following:
March 1
· Davis Jr. approached a community policing officer and claimed someone was trying to kill him.
· Police determined there was no immediate threat to Davis Jr. or anyone else on campus after conducting a thorough investigation.
· Davis Jr. said his cousin was going to pick him up Friday, March 2 for spring break and that he was going to return to his room to sleep.
March 2
· At about 1:30 a.m., Davis Jr. is seen in his residential hall complex lobby with luggage. Officers approach him and he appears “disoriented.” During the conversation with officers, Davis Jr. made statements that he was under the influence of drugs.
· After Davis Jr., his mother and police have a conversation on the phone, and CMUPD transports him to a local emergency room for monitoring and treatment.
· Later in the morning, Davis Sr. and his wife pick up Davis Jr. from the emergency room after he is released.
· The three travel to the Towers residential complex and enter Davis Jr.’s dorm room in Campbell Hall.
· Through witness testimony and video surveillance, police have determined Davis Jr. left the residence hall, goes to the family vehicle and returns – using his CMU ID – to the residence hall with a handgun.
· Police respond to call of shots fired. After investigating, police determined Davis Sr. and Diva Davis were killed.
· A gun is recovered at the scene, registered to Davis Sr., who is a police officer in Illinois.
· Davis Jr. flees on foot from the scene and is seen running north along the railroad tracks on the west side of campus.
· More than 100 officers from multiple police agencies search for Davis Jr. throughout the rest of the day and night.
March 3
· At about 12:10 a.m., CMU police respond to a tip from a passing train in which an employee notices a “suspicious subject” standing near the railroad tracks near the northwest corner of campus.
· Within two minutes, CMU police arrive. They identify the suspect as Davis Jr and he is taken into custody without incident.
· Davis Jr. remains in police custody in the hospital.
