WHO KILLED 14 year old Corey “Junior” Davis? The young teen died just over a year ago – and to mark the anniversary the Metropolitan Police Service have put up a £20,000 reward for anyone who can help them identify and convict his killers.
Corey died on 4th September last year. It was just after school, and he was hanging out with mates in a playground area on a Newham estate – when he was shot at close range. One of his mates, a 17 year old teen, was also shot and suffered life changing injuries to his leg.
Corey’s mother Keisha is still looking for justice and to help the police she has released new pictures of herself with Corey and of Corey as a young boy. She is appealing to the community to come forward and help obtain justice for Corey.
“I have said repeatedly that community information is vital to catch Corey’s killers and take them off the streets,” she said. “Someone around here knows who did this, someone could speak to the police and help catch those responsible, but for whatever reason, we have found a wall of silence which has so far been impenetrable. But I know that can change.
“Perhaps you are reading this right now and you know who killed my son. I want you to place yourself in my shoes. Imagine being at home and the police coming to your door to tell you your teenage son had been shot. Can you imagine the pain? How does a person deal with that?
“Corey died the following day in hospital, surrounded by his family as he took his last breath. His death was pain like I had never experienced before or since. He was only 14, just a child. He had his whole life ahead of him. Life will not ever be the same without my son. My heart will never mend. But if someone knows something and could just give the information police need to find his killers, you will allow us to find some small peace.”
The police arrested a 20 year old man and interviewed a second man – both aged 20 – in June this year. Neither was charged.
Detective Chief Inspector Dave Whellams, of the Homicide and Major Crime Command, is leading the investigation and hopes the reward will encourage someone to comeforward “Perhaps you are a person who would not normally speak to police, or perhaps you are fearful and think there might be repercussions,” he said. “I want you to know that your information will be dealt with discreetly and sensitively. You will be ok. Please, think of what Corey’s mother Keisha has had to endure, and do the right thing and speak to us.”
“Corey was seen as being potentially vulnerable by older, hardened gang members who wished to draw him more fully into their world from the periphery of it. His mother was very aware of the risk and took steps to distance him from this environment, moving him from the local area and taking all the measures she could in an effort to protect Corey from that danger.
“She, like us, is desperately seeking the community’s help to unlock the causes of these tragic events and bring those responsible to justice. My team have exhausted all avenues of inquiry so far in our investigation but we are nowhere near finished and remain absolutely committed to finding Corey’s killers.”
The police welcome any information, but they are particularly keen to hear from anyone who may be able to provide information on a metallic grey 2011 Range Rover Sport, registration number HSE TDV6. This vehicle was captured on CCTV at around 14:53hrs, just before the murder, on Wyatt Road – near the junction with Upton Lane, E7. The windows are dark tinted from behind the driver’s seat to the back of the vehicle.
CCTV footage shows the vehicle shortly after the murder, fleeing the scene of the crime at around 15:15hrs and driving erratically on Romford Road in a northbound direction towards the A406 North Circular Road. Detectives have established that the car was stolen at around 01:00hrs on 24th August 2017 from Haverhill Road, Balham. The first part of the registration plate displayed at the time of the shooting was D11, while the original index at the time it was stolen was EY11 XSG.
The car’s unique vehicle identification number (VIN) is SALLSAAG3BA292779 (the last six digits are the chassis number) and its engine number is 0534374306DT.
DCI Whellams added: “We have reason to believe this car could still be out there – someone could have bought it in good faith, for instance, having no idea that they have bought a stolen vehicle. I would be grateful if anyone who has bought an identical make and model of car since 4 September 2017 could check its VIN number. The VIN number can usually be found by looking from outside the vehicle at the lower left side of the windscreen, in the driver’s side door jam or under the bonnet. Please contact us urgently if it matches the number we have given out. The engine number is also readily accessible to check.
“It is also possible that a garage or scrap dealer could have inadvertently worked on the whole vehicle or parts of it without realising it had been used in a murder. Again I would urge people in this sector to think back over the last month and check their records.”
•Anyone who has information for the police can call the incident room on 020-8345 3775. Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers on 0800-555 111, where you can give information anonymously.
•Read more about this story: Who killed Corey?
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