Jeremiah Davis, age 18, was arrested by the St. Petersburg Police in the afternoon of Friday, March 3, 2023, on the campus of Gibbs High School. Davis, a 12th grader at Gibbs High School, was taken into custody, and officers found a handgun in his possession.
Davis is charged with 1st-degree murder in the death of 15-year-old Zy’Kiquiro Lofton. He was shot and killed on December 29, 2022, while walking near 9th Avenue South and 16th Street South. Davis was also charged with possession of a weapon on school property.
Davis is the third suspect to be arrested in connection with the homicide of Lofton.
The first suspect in the homicide, 17-year-old Deonte Bishop, was arrested on December 30, 2022, and the second suspect, 18-year-old David Moore, was arrested on February 14, 2023. All three are charged with 1st-degree felony murder.
On January 20, 2023, a Grand Jury indicted 17-year-old Deonte Bishop of St. Petersburg for Murder in the First Degree (as an adult) for the shooting death of a Lofton. The incident occurred about one month after being unlicensed and leaving the scene of a deadly crash. The shooting death occurred just nine days after posting bail from the Pinellas County Jail and while wearing an ankle monitor.
During the course of the investigation into the death of Lofton, detectives were able to develop probable cause to charge Bishop.
St. Petersburg Police detectives initially charged 17-year-old Bishop, as a juvenile, with 1st Degree Felony Murder in the homicide of Lofton.
Bishop was arrested hours earlier at 12:30 a.m., December 30th, on unrelated charges. Officers pulled over a car in a traffic stop, and Bishop was a passenger. At that time, he was charged with carrying a concealed firearm and possessing marijuana with intent to sell.
Bishop was arrested after a fatal hit-and-run crash on Saturday, November 26, 2022, at 10:09 p.m.
According to officers, a black 2014 Chevrolet Camaro, driven by Bishop, was traveling northbound on Dr. MLK Street South. A silver 2008 Dodge Charger, driven by 87-year-old Denry Gayle of St. Petersburg, was traveling west from the stop sign at 30th Avenue South. As Gayle made his southbound turn at the intersection, Bishop collided with him, striking the driver’s side of the Dodge.
Bishop fled the scene and was apprehended a short time later. Bishop had no valid driver’s license at the time of the crash.
Deonte Bishop was charged with leaving the scene of a crash involving death and operating a motor vehicle without a license involving death.
Gayle was transported to Bayfront Health St. Petersburg, where he died from his injuries.
On Thursday, December 1st, 2022, 61-year-old Ricky Bishop, the boy’s father, was charged with allowing an unlicensed person to drive his vehicle, involving death. This is a misdemeanor charge, and Ricky Bishop received a Notice to Appear.