A St. Paul teenager was ordered to spend 25½ years in prison on Friday for his role in a fatal stabbing near Harding High School that killed 19-year-old Jay’mier Keymari Givens. The hearing drew a courtroom full of relatives and friends, who lined up to deliver emotional victim-impact statements as the case formally shifted out of juvenile proceedings and into adult court.
According to Twin Cities, 17-year-old Jeremy Joe Davila pleaded guilty in adult court to aiding and abetting second-degree intentional murder after waiving juvenile certification. He agreed to the presumptive 25½-year guideline sentence, a move that avoided the risk of a longer aggravated term. The outlet reported that some of Givens’ relatives addressed Davila directly during the hearing and urged the judge to recognize the gravity of the killing.
Prosecutors' account of the killing
Prosecutors say Givens was discovered late on March 31, 2025, on the 1400 block of East 6th Street near Harding High School and was later pronounced dead at Regions Hospital. An autopsy documented 22 sharp-force wounds, most of them to his back. Charging documents, cellphone records, and neighborhood surveillance video were used to piece together what happened that night, according to the Star Tribune.
Evidence seized during the investigation
On April 8, investigators executed a search warrant at a residence connected to Davila and a 14-year-old boy. Inside, they reported finding two knives stashed in the basement rafters, two sets of clothing that matched what appeared in surveillance footage, and small amounts of blood, according to MN Crime. Court documents later quoted the younger teen as admitting that both he and Davila stabbed Givens multiple times.
Family reaction in court
Relatives who spoke in court described Givens as a protector in the family and a recent graduate of Journey Secondary School, and they told the judge his death had left an irreparable hole in their lives, according to Twin Cities. The Star Tribune reported that Givens had completed his studies at Journey Secondary School roughly four months before he was killed.
Legal implications
Davila’s choice to waive juvenile certification and enter a guilty plea meant his case proceeded in adult court, subjecting him to a standard adult prison term instead of a juvenile disposition. KSTP reported that the 17-year-old had been certified as an adult during the pretrial phase of the case, while information about the 14-year-old co-defendant remains sealed under juvenile privacy laws.
With sentencing now complete, any further public details are expected to surface through court records and official statements from prosecutors and defense attorneys. For Givens’ family, the hearing marked yet another public, painful step in a loss they say can never be repaired.
