Developing·Case the developing record
#DC-0027

May and Thompson family

Five family members were killed and two people were wounded in an East St. Louis shooting investigation.

Charged · allegations
last updated 20 July 2026 · 4 sources
Confirmed facts
19
Open questions
5
Deaths
5
Wounded
2
Charges
Filed
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Audio brief · automated narration of the sourced record
Transcript

Case file May and Thompson family, reference D C zero zero two seven. The Associated Press reported that shootings occurred primarily on Sunday, July twelfth, at three locations in East St. Louis, including a park. AP reported that police said five people were killed in a targeted mass shooting against a family in southwestern Illinois, and that two more people were wounded. The Guardian reported that state police identified the slain family members as Cherie L. May, Devin D. May, Patricia A. May, Quentin L. Thompson, and Shania W. Thompson. AP reported that police said two teenagers, ages fifteen and sixteen, were in custody. AP reported that two teenagers were later charged with murder; the charges are unproven allegations. AP reported that Ja’ymeir Davis appeared in court on twelve charges, including five counts of murder, and was ordered to remain in custody. The file’s open questions include the motive, the exact relationships involved, how any firearms were obtained, the full sequence of shootings, and whether the fifteen-year-old girl’s case will be transferred. This has been an automated reading of case file D C zero zero two seven at developing case dot com. Every fact you heard names a public source.

Timeline of what's confirmed19 entries
Sunday, 12 July 2026
AP reported that the shootings occurred primarily on Sunday at three locations in East St. Louis, including a park.
AP
Sunday, 12 July 2026
AP reported that Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly said troopers stopped a vehicle and arrested two teens.
AP
Sunday, 12 July 2026
AP reported that Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly said one arrested teen was suspected of having a direct role in the shootings; this is an unproven allegation.
AP
13 July 2026
AP reported that police said five people were killed in a targeted mass shooting against a family in southwestern Illinois.
AP
13 July 2026
AP reported that police said two more people were wounded.
AP
13 July 2026
AP reported that police said two teenagers, ages 15 and 16, were in custody.
AP
13 July 2026
AP reported that Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly said the motive remained under investigation.
AP
13 July 2026
AP reported that the people who died were ages 74, 49, 25, 24 and 21.
AP
13 July 2026
The Guardian reported that state police identified the slain family members as Cherie L. May, 49; Devin D. May, 24; Patricia A. May, 74; Quentin L. Thompson, 21; and Shania W. Thompson, 25.
The Guardian
13 July 2026
AP reported that St. Clair County State’s Attorney James Gomric said a decision about criminal charges could come by Tuesday.
AP
14 July 2026
AP reported that two teenagers were charged with murder in the killings of five members of an Illinois family; the charges are unproven allegations.
AP · added 20 Jul 2026
14 July 2026
AP reported that the St. Clair County prosecutor's office said a 16-year-old boy will be prosecuted as an adult.
AP · added 20 Jul 2026
14 July 2026
AP reported that the St. Clair County prosecutor's office said the case against a 15-year-old girl will start in juvenile court before a possible transfer to St. Clair County criminal court.
AP · added 20 Jul 2026
14 July 2026
AP reported that Ja'ymeir Davis appeared in court on 12 charges, including five counts of murder, and was ordered to remain in custody; the charges are unproven allegations.
AP · added 20 Jul 2026
14 July 2026
AP reported that the public defender's office was appointed to represent Davis.
AP · added 20 Jul 2026
14 July 2026
AP reported that court documents do not reveal a motive.
AP · added 20 Jul 2026
14 July 2026
AP reported that Marcus May, the father of the 15-year-old girl, told local news media that Davis was the girl's boyfriend.
AP · added 20 Jul 2026
14 July 2026
AP reported that Marcus May said he lost a nephew, two stepchildren, his mother and a sister.
AP · added 20 Jul 2026
14 July 2026
AP reported that a court filing said the shootings mostly occurred over the weekend, but that Cherie May was shot days earlier.
AP · added 20 Jul 2026
Open questionsunconfirmed · not conclusions
What motive, if any, will investigators identify?AP reported the motive remained under investigation. · unconfirmed
What exact relationships connected the victims and the arrested teens?AP reported Kelly did not detail the relationships; The Guardian reported authorities declined further comment. · unconfirmed
How did the teenagers obtain any firearms allegedly involved?The Guardian reported Kelly declined to comment on how the teens may have obtained guns. · unconfirmed
What were the exact times and sequence of the shootings at the three locations?AP reported the shootings occurred primarily Sunday at three locations, but the cited coverage did not provide a full timeline. · unconfirmed
Will the 15-year-old girl's case be transferred from juvenile court to St. Clair County criminal court?AP reported that the case will start in juvenile court before a possible transfer. · unconfirmed
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