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PHOENIX – New details have been uncovered in the death of Zariah Dodd, the pregnant 16-year-old whose body was found at a Phoenix park several hours after she ran away from a group home in Surprise.
What’s New:
A probable cause statement from the Phoenix Police Department led to murder charges for two suspects, including the unborn baby’s father.
The investigation reveals how both men accused in Dodd’s murder are connected and the alleged orchestration of the crime. The pregnant teen was in fear of her unborn baby’s father, and according to police, her caseworker at the Department of Child Safety knew about it.
According to the new court documents, Dodd told her caseworker in December 2024 that 36-year-old Jurrell Davis had threatened her with a gun to have sex with him. She later got pregnant with his baby.
Dodd described Davis as a gang member who provided her with marijuana to smoke, and was known to carry an AK-47.
Timeline:
On July 4, which was the night Dodd disappeared, she asked to leave the home to hang out with her new boyfriend, identified as 18-year-old Jechri James-Gillett. When staff said no, police say surveillance video shows the two teens leaving the home at around 8:00 p.m. and getting into a Chevrolet Equinox belonging to Davis.
At around midnight, Dodd texted a friend at the group home, saying she was afraid. Hours later, her body was discovered at Marivue Park. Phoenix Police also found surveillance video near the park showing a hooded suspect getting into that same Chevy Equinox.
On July 9, Surprise police called Phoenix detectives to say that the murder victim in the park matched a girl in their missing persons report on Dodd. DNA results later confirmed that the unborn baby belonged to Davis.
Dodd was scheduled to speak with investigators about the sexual conduct and her pregnancy just days after she was murdered.
On July 15, Davis was arrested and found to have two guns on him, including a Bersa .380 pistol that matched bullet fragments discovered during Dodd’s autopsy. Investigators also recovered cellphone messages between the two suspects discussing the body found in the park and even photos from the crime scene.
On July 31, James-Gillett was arrested, and police say he confessed to the murder, claiming Davis ordered him to shoot Dodd, or he would kill them both. Davis denied involvement but admitted to having sex with the minor and knew she was pregnant.
What’s next:
Both Davis and James-Gillett are charged with two counts of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder, while Davis is also charged with sexual misconduct with a minor.
Both Davis and James-Gillett were originally scheduled to be in court for this case Thursday morning, but the hearing has since been vacated.
What they’re saying:
A spokesperson for Sunshine Residential sent a statement, saying in part, “Law enforcement and partnering agencies were called promptly after the teen went missing and unable to be located by Sunshine Residential personnel. Due to the ongoing investigation, Sunshine will not be making any more comments on this case out of respect for the victim’s loved ones and the ongoing work from the investigative agencies involved.”
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