Man, 21, sentenced in 2011 death of 17-year-old Josh Davis

July 23, 2014 at 12:02a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

The mother of a 17-year-old murder victim told Judge Maureen Sweeney on Tuesday during sentencing for the man convicted of killing her son that life was good before her son was killed in 2011.

“Three years ago today, I had a nice little family,” Marcia Watkins said in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court during the sentencing hearing for Lamar Reese. “We had a lot going for us in our life.”

But since the death of her son, 17-year-old Josh Davis, Watkins said that has all been shattered.

“I’ve been having a very hard time with this,” Watkins said.

Reese, 21, of Worthington Street, was sentenced to 33 years to life in prison on charges of aggravated robbery, aggravated murder and a firearm specification. He was convicted April 21 in the Sept. 16, 2011, shooting of Josh Davis. Police say Davis was killed on a Willis Avenue front porch as Reese and co-defendant Frankie Hudson, 21, were trying to rob Davis of marijuana he was selling.

Davis was hit by four bullets and shot by two different guns, police said.

Police were stymied in their investigation until the indictment of several members of the H Block street gang, based on the South Side, in September 2012. The investigation then picked up speed as gang members in custody began cooperating with police.

Reese and Hudson were indicted in Davis’ death last August. Hudson also was indicted at the same time in a 2010 murder. Hudson has yet to be tried for Davis’ death.

In court Tuesday, Reese maintained his innocence. He said witnesses in his trial were offered plea deals or changed their stories several times and that a letter used to convict him was written by another person, not him, as prosecutors claimed during the trial.

“Anybody can just say something. You don’t have no evidence,” Reese said. “All I’m saying is I’m innocent, and I’ll have to move forward, but my appeal will get here. I’ll keep fighting.”

Watkins said she did not excuse the fact her son was selling drugs and she said she spoke to him about that shortly before he was killed, but she said he did not deserve to die. She said Davis’ sister is now the same age Davis was when he was killed, and she is afraid.

“She’s scared to be 17 and scared to be in 12th grade because of what happened to her brother,” Watkins said.

Assistant Prosecutor Martin Desmond asked for a stiff sentence. He said Reese has a record dating back to 2009 as a juvenile including domestic violence, burglary and drug charges and he most likely will commit more crimes.

Desmond said Davis did not have to die.

“It’s the type of act you walk away from, and you think this can all be avoided,” Desmond said. “You don’t have to kill the unarmed 17-year-old kid who is just standing on his porch.”

Judge Sweeney gave Reese 20 years for the aggravated murder, 10 years for the aggravated robbery and three years for a firearm specification, all to be served consecutively. She said consecutive sentences are necessary because of Reese’s prior criminal record.

Defense attorney Mark Lavelle said his client was offered a 20-year sentence by Desmond if he cooperated in the Davis case, but Reese turned the offer down.

Reese said he turned the offer down because he was not there when Davis was killed and is innocent.