Statesville Man Sentenced for Accessory to Murder

Tevin Jerome Davis, 28, of Statesville, will serve an active prison term of five to seven years following his conviction on Thursday, January 21, 2021, in Catawba County Superior Court for accessory after the fact to first-degree murder, robbery with a dangerous weapon and second-degree kidnapping.

The Honorable Nathaniel J. Poovey, Superior Court Judge from Catawba County, imposed the sentence for Davis following his guilty plea in connection with the June 1, 2015, shooting death of 46-year-old Lancelot Kenyatta Ellison.

He also entered guilty pleas to common law robbery and possession of a firearm by felon from a March 2015 incident.

The defendant will serve his period of incarceration in the custody of the North Carolina Division of Adult Corrections.

Davis addressed the family of Ellison before leaving the courtroom, saying, “I’d like to apologize to the family for the role I played in it. If I could take it back, I would.”

Two other co-defendants are charged in connection with the death of Ellison and have pending court dates. They are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

As part of his plea, Davis agreed to provide testimony against those co-defendants if called upon to do so.

Investigation of the fatal shooting and numerous interviews showed that Davis drove a co-defendant to retrieve a gun and then to a Hickory residence where Ellison and his girlfriend were staying, with the intent to rob him of marijuana and money they were told the victim had in his possession.

When Davis and the co-defendant arrived at the residence, the co-defendant and victim had a brief verbal exchange before Ellison was shot three times by the co-defendant.

During the robbery, a witness told investigators that a gun was put to her head and she was forced to the ground. She said she was told if she moved, they would shoot her.

Davis admitted to law enforcement officers that he took a gun from Ellison after the shooting and helped the co-defendant restrain one of two females at the residence so the robbery could be completed but said he did not have a gun of his own or shoot anyone.

The case was investigated by Hickory Police Department. Jamie Adams and Lance Sigmon prosecuted the matter for the District Attorney’s Office.

CONTACT: Nathan Key
Phone: 828-695-6193
Email: Nathan.D.Key@nccourts.org