ST. LOUIS — A man was sentenced to 20 years in prison for shooting and killing his son's friend in 2022.
Louzell Davis Jr., 34, pleaded guilty Monday to second-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection with the shooting death of Jacob Ashford, a press release from the 22nd Judicial Circuit Court of Missouri said. Prosecutors struck a deal with Davis, reducing the charge from first-degree murder to second-degree murder in exchange for a guilty plea.
Witnesses told police they saw Davis shoot Ashford on the front porch of a home in the 5300 block of Northland Avenue on Dec. 3.
Prosecutors said Davis Jr. went to the home a day after his son was killed while trying to steal a car with Jacob Ashford. They said Davis Jr. took Ashford to the front porch and shot him 12 times.
Davis Jr. admitted to being at the home but denied shooting Ashford.
The case was set to go to trial on Sept. 9 before Davis agreed to the plea deal.
Ashford's father spoke in court on Monday saying he didn't think 20 years was a long enough sentence.
“I would trade places with (Jacob) in a heartbeat,” Ashford’s father told the court, according to the press release. Davis “lived by the gun — he should die by the gun.”
St. Louis Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore provided the following statement:
“The killing of this teenaged boy will not bring Davis’s son back. It only perpetuates violence and brings heartache to another family. Holding this defendant accountable is the least we can do.”
