The Phoenix community is mourning the death of 16-year-old Zariah Dodd, who was pregnant when she was killed. Jurrell Davis, 36, and Jechri James-Gillett, 18, have been charged with two counts of first-degree murder each and appeared in court last Friday. Dodd was found shot dead in Marivue Park, where a candlelight vigil was later held in her honor, according to AZFamily.
Officials identified Davis as the father of Dodd’s unborn daughter, linking him to her murder and a case of sexual misconduct with a minor. He was previously convicted in 2008 for impregnating a 14-year-old. Both Davis and James-Gillett face first-degree murder charges, with authorities saying the involvement of both suggests planning. Criminal defense attorney Benjamin Taylor told FOX 10 Phoenix, “First-degree murder means that something is premeditated, means it's thought out, that there was a plan involved.” The crime could result in the death penalty.
Concerns have been raised about the supervision of Dodd, who lived at Sunshine Residential, a group home for pregnant and parenting teens, at the time of her death. The home said it is committed to supporting young mothers, but questions remain about how she became pregnant by a 36-year-old and why she was allowed to walk alone at night before she was killed. At a vigil, kinship caregiver Richilyn Fox noted issues with curfew enforcement, saying, “So even making the report at 12 o’clock, but the curfew was 10 o’clock. There’s a gap,” as mentioned by AZFamily. Both suspects are being held on a $1 million cash bond.
