Harvey murder began an armed robbery plot, JPSO says

A Slidell father who was fatally shot last month in a Harvey parking lot was the target of an armed robbery scheme, according to the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Three men linked to the shooting death of 21-year-old Andrew Davis IV appeared in Jefferson Parish Magistrate Court on Sept. 17 for a hearing, during which a detective provided new details about the homicide.

Accused gunman Dekias Stevenson, 21, of Harvey, faces a charge of second degree murder.

Joshua Tumbar, 28, of New Orleans, was booked with accessory after the fact to second degree murder, obstruction of justice and marijuana distribution. He is accused of driving Stevenson away from the scene after the shooting and buying one of the alleged murder weapons, according to authorities.

Demone Carto, 27, of Chalmette, was booked with conspiracy to commit armed robbery and is accused of helping plan the holdup, authorities said.

Davis was gunned down Aug. 17 in the parking lot of the Westchase Apartments at 1013 Manhattan Blvd., Sheriff’s Office Homicide Detective Blaine Howard testified. Stevenson lived at the complex.

Tumbar had driven Carto and a few other unidentified people over to Stevenson’s apartment that afternoon to play video games, Howard said. While there, the men crafted a plan to lure Davis to the complex under the guise of him selling marijuana to Stevenson. But the group planned to rob Davis at gunpoint so they didn’t have to pay, Howard testified.

When Davis arrived about 1 pm, Stevenson, Carto and an unidentified co-conspirator exited the apartment, according to Howard. Stevenson and the unknown suspect got into Davis’ vehicle, and at some point, opened fire.

Davis was shot in the face, neck and back, according to authorities. A witness who’d accompanied Davis helped get him away in his vehicle. They moved to the 800 block of Manhattan Boulevard, about two blocks away, where authorities were contacted, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

Davis was pronounced dead there.

Back at the apartment complex, Carto is accused of rummaging through Davis’ backpack, which had been left behind after the shooting, Howard said. He then ran from the complex to a nearby business.

Tumbar is accused of driving Stevenson from the apartment complex and dropping him off at the Marrero home of one of Stevenson’s relatives, Howard testified.

Stevenson gave Tumbar a .40 caliber pistol — one of the two guns believed to have been used in the homicide — in exchange for about a quarter pound of marijuana worth $500, Howard said.

Investigators found a photo of Tumbar holding the suspected murder weapon on his cellphone, but the gun has not been recovered. Authorities also have not found the other gun believed to have been fired during the shooting, a 9mm weapon, according to Howard.

Authorities did find another 9 mm pistol and a .45-caliber gun inside Davis’ car, Howard testified. But detectives don’t believe that either was used in the homicide, he said.

Stevenson, Tumbar and Carto were being held Tuesday at the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center in Gretna. Bail for Stevenson was set at $500,000 and Tumbar at $175,000.

Carto was being held without bail for robbery conspiracy and a separate charge of parole violation.

Anyone with information about the shooting death of Andrew Davis IV is asked to call the Sheriff’s Office investigations bureau at 504-364-5300. The public can also call Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111 or toll-free at 1-877-903-7867. Callers do not have to give their names or testify and can earn a $2,500 reward for information that leads to an indictment.