A 19-year-old Minneapolis man has admitted in court that he killed Justin “Juice” Marshall, the well-known neighborhood DJ who was shot outside a bus shelter near Mortimer's Bar last summer. The teen pleaded guilty Monday to second-degree murder in the July 25, 2025 shooting, which happened around 2:30 a.m. on the night Marshall celebrated his 37th birthday. He was taken to Hennepin Healthcare, where he later died. The plea deal calls for a recommended 261-month prison sentence, which will still need a judge’s approval.
How prosecutors say the killing unfolded
According to CBS Minnesota, video from the area shows Marshall walk up to the passenger side of a light-blue Toyota Camry, lean in and briefly talk with the teenage driver, then suddenly take off running toward a nearby bus shelter. He collapses there after being shot six times. The Hennepin County Attorney's Office says the teenager later agreed to speak with investigators and admitted there had been a verbal argument before he chased Marshall to the shelter.
Who pleaded guilty
Local reporting identified the defendant as 19-year-old Dijon Davis, who prosecutors charged in early April and who entered his guilty plea on Monday, according to FOX 9. The station reports that Davis gave a voluntary statement to investigators admitting he fired multiple shots at Marshall. Prosecutors are recommending a 261-month sentence, and a sentencing hearing is set for May 7.
Marshall's place in the neighborhood
Friends and co-workers described Marshall as a familiar face in south Minneapolis, a longtime Kowalski's employee and regular DJ at the nearby F45 gym. He was a neighborhood fixture who even earned recognition at the National Grocers Association Best Bagger Championship, according to the Star Tribune. His killing last summer sparked vigils and a wave of public grief across southwest Minneapolis.
Legal next steps
The Hennepin County Attorney's Office said the plea “came together over the last few days” and that “Mr. Davis has taken responsibility,” but it will be up to a judge to decide whether to accept the agreement, according to CBS Minnesota. Prosecutors added that other pending cases against Davis are expected to be resolved with related plea deals after the Marshall sentencing.
For neighbors who spent months waiting for movement in the case, the guilty plea offers some measure of closure, along with a stark reminder of the toll of gun violence in the city. Sentencing is scheduled for May 7, when the court and the Hennepin County Attorney's Office are expected to put the final details on the record.
