Jimmy Davis, a 53-year-old White man and the father of a Tolleson city councilman, was killed in a shooting on Sunday, August 27, 2023. His son, Councilman Jimmy Davis Jr., later shared his family’s grief on social media, writing, “Our family is going through an incredibly challenging time, and I kindly request that you remember us in your prayers.” He asked for privacy as his family mourned their loss.
Early that Sunday morning, police responded to a call at a home in a neighborhood near 94th Avenue and Van Buren Street. They arrived to find Jimmy Davis in the driveway, suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators determined that Davis did not live at the residence and that he and the person who shot him likely knew each other, reassuring the community that there was no ongoing threat to the public.
According to court documents, the shooting stemmed from a dispute that turned violent.
Witnesses told police that Davis and a woman had begun arguing about money in a bank account. The argument escalated into a physical fight between the two. At that point, a third person, identified as 34-year-old Bryan Ray Lecates, reportedly got involved in the altercation.
Police said Lecates pulled out a shotgun and pointed it at Davis and others in the area before shooting Davis. Lecates then fled the scene. In the following days, detectives pursued several leads to identify the shooter. A witness was able to identify Lecates from a photo lineup, and authorities began tracking his cell phone to determine his whereabouts.
On Wednesday, August 30, police located Lecates at an apartment complex near 12th Street and Turney Avenue. Officers saw him leaving the apartment and took him into custody. He was booked on charges of second-degree murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a weapon by a prohibited person. Investigators noted that Lecates was on probation at the time of the shooting. As of August 2023, the case against him was proceeding through the court system.
