Prosecutors: East St. Louis family massacre was plotted on Instagram by teen couple  

New information presented during a pretrial hearing last week indicates the fatal shooting of five family members in East St. Louis was planned on social media, according to prosecutors.

Ja’ymier Davis, 16, and his 15-year-old girlfriend, identified in court documents by her initials, W.T., are accused of carrying out the shootings between July 5 and July 12. The violence left five people dead and two others injured, including W.T.’s mother.

Davis, who has no prior criminal record, is charged as an adult with five counts of murder, one count of dismembering a human body, two counts of attempted murder and one count of unlawful use of a stolen firearm. W.T. remains in juvenile custody, though prosecutors have stated their intent to transfer her case to adult court.

During the hearing, prosecutors detailed Instagram direct messages exchanged between the two teens. In one message regarding the shootings, W.T. allegedly wrote, “Babe, I’m finna lose my whole family for you.”

A public defender told the court W.T. manipulated Davis into committing the killings.

The incident follows recent reports of declining violent crime in East St. Louis. Before the shootings, Illinois State Police announced the city had recorded its fewest homicides in at least 45 years, citing a 56% decline in homicides since 2020.

Mayor Charles R. Powell III published a letter to residents saying his heart was with the family suffering from the unimaginable loss.

“East St. Louis has always been a resilient community. We have faced challenges before, and we have always found strength in one another. That same spirit will carry us forward again,” Powell said. “Our city has made meaningful progress in recent years because of the commitment of our residents, community partners and first responders. While this tragedy has deeply saddened us, it only strengthens our resolve to continue building a safer, stronger and more hopeful East St. Louis.”

A vigil was held Sunday to honor the five victims.

“I’m going to miss my grandbabies. They got their wings now,” Kathy Thompson, the grandmother of victims Quentin and Shania Thompson, told FOX 2. “They were some beautiful children. I can’t say nothing but the best for them.” 

(Image credit: East St. Louis Police Department/Facebook)