2 teens charged in ‘massacre’ of family members that left 5 dead, 2 critically injured

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. (KMOV/Gray News) — Two teenagers in Illinois are suspected of shooting seven family members, killing five of them and critically injuring two others.

The shootings happened Sunday in East St. Louis across three locations, including Jones Park and the Samuel Gompers public housing complex.

Officials said the suspects are a 16-year-old boy and a 15-year-old girl. The teens are related, but officials did not say how.

The 16-year-old boy has been identified as Ja’ymeir Davis. He has been charged as an adult in St. Clair County Circuit Court with five counts of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted murder, two counts of aggravated battery, one count of dismembering a human body, one count of aggravated vehicular hijacking and one count of unlawful use of a stolen firearm.

The prosecutor’s office said Davis was automatically charged as an adult due to the Juvenile Court Act’s excluded jurisdiction provision, which excludes first-degree murder from juvenile jurisdiction when the defendant is 16 or older.

Investigators believe the second suspect, a 15-year-old girl, is also responsible for the deaths. However, she will not be publicly identified at this time because she is under 16.

The 15-year-old is facing first-degree murder charges in a juvenile delinquency petition. Prosecutors said they are requesting that the case be transferred to adult court to pursue prosecution under Illinois law.

“It makes you wonder, what would make them do such a thing?” said East St. Louis Councilman Courtney Hoffman II. “That’s where I’m at with it. Like, why? What would be the reason?”

Victims identified as family members

The five people killed were identified as Patricia May, 74; Cheri May, 49; Devin May, 24; Quentin Thompson, 21; and Shania Thompson, 25.

Court documents state Cheri May was killed sometime after July 5. The other four victims were killed between July 11 and July 12.

The documents also state that one victim’s thumb was cut off after she was killed.

Family members mourn loved ones lost in ‘massacre’

Miranda May is a cousin of one of the suspects. She described the shootings as a massacre.

“It’s unfortunate what happened. There’s really a loss for words. Nobody can prepare for another family member massacring the rest of your family members,” Miranda May said.

Marcus May, the father of the female suspect, said he lost his mother, sister and nephew in the shooting. He said his daughter “decided what she wanted to do.”

“I can’t show her no sympathy. I hate to be like that, especially in this time. But it is what it is,” Marcus May said.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the family with funeral expenses.