Inset: Kemaree Davis (Muskegon Juvenile Detention Center). Background: The area in Michigan where Davis allegedly killed a 73-year-old man (Google Maps).
A teenager in Michigan is facing serious charges after allegedly shooting a 73-year-old man during a home robbery, then texting a friend to say the victim was dead and that he saw him “gasp his last breath.” Sixteen-year-old Kemaree Davis is being prosecuted as an adult, facing counts of open murder and armed robbery for the December murder of Thomas Stewart, according to court documents.
Details from a press release issued by the City of Muskegon indicate that on the morning of December 1, 2025, officers from the Department of Public Safety rushed to a reported shooting at a home on the 1400 block of Jiroch Street, roughly 200 miles from Detroit. Upon arrival, they discovered Stewart inside, having sustained a gunshot wound to his upper body. Tragically, he was declared dead at the scene.
Stewart’s wallet was discovered beside him, and his pockets appeared to have been rummaged through.
Authorities report that Davis, apprehended a week following the incident, was acquainted with Stewart and had entered the home with the intent to rob.
“I do believe Mr. Stewart knew a lot of people in his neighborhood, was friendly with a lot of people in his neighborhood, was helpful to a lot of people, so we don’t know what the nexus actually was,” Muskegon Public Safety Director Tim Kozal said during a December news briefing. “From our investigation we believe those were the only two individuals inside the house. We believe that the intent of the individual that was there with Mr. Stewart was to rob him.”
A 17-year-old was also detained and faces charges related to weapon possession connected to Stewart’s death.
Prosecutors assert that various pieces of evidence, such as witness statements, text communications, and investigative results, directly implicate Davis in the crime.
Court testimony has focused heavily on the alleged text messages Davis sent after the killing, according to a report from MLive. Some of that evidence was revealed Thursday during Davis’ preliminary examination.
A detective reportedly testified that about an hour after he allegedly shot Stewart, Davis sent his friend a text message relaying what had just happened, writing, “The old man is dead. Bro, I watched him gasp his last breath.”
The recipient of that message is the 17-year-old who is also charged in connection with the robbery gone wrong, authorities said. Investigators said they obtained surveillance footage showing Davis and the 17-year-old meeting outside of Muskegon High School on the morning of the shooting and walking in the direction of Stewart’s home.
In an interview with police following his arrest, Davis allegedly confessed to killing Stewart, reportedly saying Stewart saw him inside the home and gave him $20. He claimed the gun “went off” during the robbery, killing Stewart. Afterward, Davis allegedly said he took an additional $20 from Stewart’s wallet.
The 17-year-old suspect also testified during Thursday’s hearing, reportedly providing a version of events that conflicted with investigators’ accounts. The teen also claimed he did not remember meeting up with Davis and did not know about several social media accounts linked to his cellphone.
Following the hearing, the 17-year-old was arrested for perjury, MLive reported.
