COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – The third of three south Columbus murder suspects was arrested over the weekend and is scheduled to face a judge Monday morning.
Michael Davis Jr. was arrested on Saturday and is believed to be associated with the fatal shooting of 39-year-old Adrian Smith, who was gunned down on the 1900 block of Lockbourne Road on May 31. He was issued a $500,000 bond in Franklin County Municipal Court Monday.
Police said Smith was standing in the parking lot when several occupants of a vehicle drove by and began shooting at Smith. Court records noted that officers found Smith suffering from gunshot wounds in a parking lot behind a business on Lockbourne Road. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Columbus police arrested 20-year-old Mareese Davis on July 6, charging him with murder and felonious assault. Police also arrested 28-year-old James Dukes-Johnson in connection to the shooting. Both Davis and Dukes-Johnson were issued $1 million bonds. Their bonds were increased to $2 million according to Franklin County Court of Common Pleas documents.
On July 18, Davis pleaded not guilty on charges of murder, aggravated murder, felonious assault and two weapons charges. Dukes-Johnson likewise pleaded not guilty to his charges that included a third weapons charge.
Davis Jr. was named the third suspect in the case shortly after the arrest of Davis and Dukes-Johnson, though he remained at large over the next five weeks. He too is charged with murder and felonious assault and is next scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 22 for a preliminary hearing.
A second victim, a 31-year-old man, was also shot while sitting in his car. He drove away from the scene and called for help after suffering a gunshot wound to his leg. Police located the man about six blocks away near the 1600 block of Linwood Avenue. He was taken to Grant Medical Center and listed in critical condition.