MUNCIE, Ind. – Murder and robbery convictions will stand for a Muncie man who shot another man and stole thousands in drug money.
The Indiana Court of Appeals, in a unanimous 3-0 decision, upheld the convictions against 25-year-old D’Ante Davis in connection with the July 2021 case.
Davis shot and killed James Braydon King III on July 22, 2021. According to court documents, King had collected $8,000 in cash after making a marijuana delivery. Davis saw a social media video showing King counting the money; a co-defendant had sent the video to him.
Prosecutors said Davis—armed with a gun—entered an apartment at Canterbury Townhomes with another armed individual and opened fire. When police entered the apartment, they found King dead and the $8,000 missing.
One witness immediately identified Davis as the shooter.
Two other people were also charged with murder in the case, although both were granted immunity for their testimony.
Davis challenged multiple aspects regarding evidence in the case, including a statement he made to police in which he referenced getting an attorney.
The appeals court ruled against Davis, saying the trial court didn’t abuse its discretion. Of the police statement, the court said Davis indicated he wanted an attorney “in the future tense” but proceeded to speak with a detective anyway and “did not plainly request an attorney” and “also continued to engage with his interviewer.”
The appeals court also ruled against Davis regarding the admission of testimony on DNA evidence, which Davis had challenged on chain-of-custody grounds; and the admission of an officer’s testimony repeating an out-of-court statement from an alleged co-conspirator.
The appeals court noted that one eyewitness and two “occurrence witnesses” directly implicated Davis in King’s murder.
“Davis has shown no error or defect in the challenged evidentiary rulings, much less error affecting his substantial rights,” the court wrote. “Davis has not persuaded us that he was denied a fair trial.”
Davis is serving a 107-year sentence for murder, robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery. The sentence includes a 20-year enhancement for use of a firearm.
Another man, Ravonte Love, was charged in King’s murder in February.
