A reward of up to a quarter million dollars is being offered in the murder of a postal worker who was shot and killed while delivering mail on his route in Warren, Ohio.
The United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) announced the $250K reward for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the suspect or suspects involved in the homicide of 33-year-old mail carrier Jonte Davis, according to a press release on Sunday.
The victim, known by friends and family as Jonte “The Mailman” Davis, was fatally shot inside his postal van on Saturday afternoon in what police are calling a “targeted attack.” According to an official statement by the Warren Police Department, authorities believe that the assailant and victim knew each other.
The shooting happened near Washington Street and Olive Avenue in Warren, about 60 miles southeast of Cleveland. Officials say Mr. Davis was shot by a suspect in another vehicle.
Police initially responded to a shots fired call at the 600 block of Olive Avenue Northeast at 1:44 p.m. Officers found the victim suffering from gunshot wounds and performed life-saving measures. Mr. Davis was transported to Trumbull Regional Medical Center and later died from his injuries, police say.
Within a few hours, a suspect vehicle was located in a driveway at 429 Maryland Avenue Northeast. A search warrant for the residence and vehicle were served. Several people were taken to the Warren Police Department for questioning. However, no suspects are in custody at this time.
“The Postal Inspection Service views the security and well-being of postal service employees as its top priority and will work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to bring those responsible for this crime to justice,” Michael Martel, a spokesperson for the Postal Inspection Service, said in a statement.
He also confirmed that Mr. Davis worked for USPS for less than a year. His supervisors described him as a “good employee.”
In a Facebook post, the President of the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Branch 385 in Youngstown, Ohio described Mr. Davis as one of the nicest carriers he has ever met, a good man and father with multiple children.
“He came to work today expecting to do his job and then go home to his family, but that didn’t come to fruition,” the post reads.
A GoFundMe page to cover funeral expenses and to support his family has been set up by the victim’s brother, Larry Davis.
“He never bothered a living soul,” his brother wrote on the fundraising page.
“I can’t think of a single person at the post office who didn’t like him and he legitimately seemed like a great person through and through,” he added.
As of Monday afternoon, the fundraising site has raised nearly $1,200 of its $10,000 goal.
The USPS and FBI are assisting the Warren Police Department with the ongoing investigation.
Authorities say the suspect or suspects are considered armed and dangerous and warned that they should not be approached.
Anyone with any information about the homicide case should contact Detective John Greaver of the Warren Police Department at 330-841-2723 or at [email protected].
