Violent Path of Teen Involved in Tessa Majors’ Murder

A 13-year-old boy, previously linked to the murder of Barnard College student Tessa Majors, has continued his pattern of violence even after being released from juvenile detention. Since his release, Zaire Davis has faced new charges, including attempted murder and an assault on a prison guard, as reported.

Davis, along with two older companions, attacked Majors, an 18-year-old college freshman, in Morningside Park during the evening of December 11, 2019. The aspiring musician fought back fiercely, even biting one of her attackers, Rashaun Weaver. This enraged Weaver, who stabbed her as Davis admitted to picking up and returning a knife dropped by Weaver.

During the attack, another accomplice, Lewis, held Majors in a headlock while Weaver delivered fatal stabs to her heart. Davis was tried in family court and served only 18 months due to a legislative change that increased the age of criminal responsibility to 18. In contrast, his older accomplices faced adult charges, with Weaver receiving 14 years and Lewis nine.

While the details of Davis’s release remain unclear, by 2023, he had reportedly engaged in another serious crime. On April 8th, he and new associates allegedly fired multiple shots into a crowd in Harlem, seemingly in retaliation for a prior shooting involving a gang member.

Following the shooting, Davis fled the scene to retrieve the weapon and then aimed the gun at a group of people just blocks away from where the previous incident occurred, according to police reports.

In the aftermath, Nantui, a suspect in the prior murder, was captured shortly after. Meanwhile, Davis found himself back in detention under suspicion for attempted murder.

On September 17, he was involved in an altercation with other detainees which led to him allegedly biting a youth counselor’s arm. As a result, he has now been transferred to Rikers Island, as shared by his attorney, Neville Mitchell.

Mitchell expressed doubts about the effectiveness of the rehabilitation Davis received during his earlier detention, emphasizing the challenges of changing a troubled mindset formed over many years.

Former NYPD Deputy Director of Youth Affairs Kevin O’Connor voiced strong criticism of the age-raising law, pointing out that it often sidesteps the victims’ experiences and calls for accountability in cases of severe crimes like murder.

Majors’ parents have previously expressed their heartache, sharing details about their daughter’s struggle to retain her belongings during the attack, emphasizing the horror of the situation she faced.

They conveyed their anguish in statements about the crime, remarking on the unimaginable fear their daughter experienced, capturing the distress and chaos of that tragic night.