What started as a simple fare-evasion stop at El Cerrito del Norte BART Station yesterday ended with something far bigger. BART Police say a 27-year-old man who tried to dodge the fare wound up under arrest as a wanted fugitive in a Georgia homicide case.
According to the BART Police Department, officers spotted the man trying to jump a fare gate at 8:53 AM, chased him several blocks, and took him into custody after a brief foot pursuit. They say he first gave them a fake name, but a fingerprint check later confirmed who he really was, an incident the agency described in detail in a post on Facebook.
Wanted in Georgia
The man was identified as 27-year-old Davonte Fore, who officials say had already been convicted in 2024 in connection with the 2021 killing of 25-year-old Skyler Gilmore in Stone Mountain, Georgia. Prosecutors say Fore was released on bond during the case, then failed to return to court, which triggered a bench warrant and left him at large until this week's arrest, according to AP News.
How the Georgia case unfolded
Fore and an alleged accomplice, JaQuan Brooks, were convicted in October 2024 on charges that included malice murder and felony murder. Prosecutors say investigators relied on cellphone data and surveillance video to tie both men to the attack. The pair were sentenced to life with the possibility of parole, and DeKalb County officials publicly urged help in tracking Fore down, saying justice will not truly be served until Davonte Fore is in custody, according to SFGATE.
What comes next
BART Police say Fore was booked at the scene and remains in custody while authorities in the Bay Area and Georgia work out what happens next. DeKalb County officials had previously asked anyone with information about Fore's whereabouts to contact the Fugitive Unit at 404-298-8132, according to BART.
