Funeral services set for three East St. Louis shooting victims
Funeral services have been set for three of the victims of last week’s series of fatal shootings in East St. Louis, and the pastor who will oversee it plans to deliver words of hope and faith in the wake of the tragedy.
Cherie May, 49, died of stabbing and gunshot wounds sustained between July 5 and July 7, authorities said. Her son, Devin May, 24, was fatally shot days later when he encountered the suspects while checking in on his mother, St. Clair County prosecutors alleged during a pretrial hearing Wednesday.
Patricia May, 74, the family’s matriarch, was likely shot days earlier, according to authorities, and left at the Samuel Gompers public housing complex. Her thumb was severed and used by the alleged killers to access her cellphone, authorities said.
A celebration of life will be held Saturday, July 25, at House of Prayer to All Nations, 5501 N. Park Dr., East St. Louis. Visitation begins at 10 a.m., with a funeral service to follow at noon.
House of Prayer Pastor Anthony Pettiford said his message at the service will focus on God’s “omniscience, omnipotence and omnipresence.”
“This is no doubt a unique event for this community,” he said Thursday. “Every new detail that comes out – and I’ve heard or read about something different in the news every day since – takes this all to a whole new level.
“But my focus looks beyond those details. … We have to forget about trying to understand or predict what’s happened in the past or what’s coming in the future and focus on knowing that God is in control, that God has a plan and that God has this family.”
Pettiford said Patricia May remained an active and visible member of the House of Prayer for 50 years, volunteering for various church programs. She also was a licensed minister, who would preach and lead prayer meetings.
“At her age, she was a very vibrant part of our community,” he said. “Prayer was part of everything in her life. Her son, who was here last night, said she even preached to him in discipline and would thank God for the moment.
“She was a light to everyone around. Even if they didn’t take the message, she set an example of faith for them, and she would do that even now – she would scream out ‘alleluia' and tell us that she’s all trusting and believing in God.
“I believe that she completed what God sent her here to do and that he has her now.”
According to Illinois State Police investigators and the St. Clair County State’s Attorney’s Office, three members of the May family died at the hands of Ja’ymeir M. Davis, the 16-year-old boyfriend of the victims’ relative. He has been charged as an adult with first-degree murder.
Davis’ 15-year-old girlfriend, the granddaughter of Patricia May, is being held in juvenile detention while prosecutors’ petition to have her tried as an adult is being considered. For now, authorities aren’t naming her.
Two other people died as part of the alleged scheme, charging documents say. Shania Thompson, the 15-year-old’s sister, and Quentin Thompson, her brother, also were fatally shot.
Two others who survived the shootings are recovering from injuries.
BND reporters Lexi Cortes and Madison Lammert contributed information for this story.
This story was originally published July 16, 2026 at 11:02 AM.
