KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The teen accused of ambushing and killing a 16-year-old Austin-East High School student as he left school in February 2021 will face a grand jury review.
Deondre Davis's lawyer John Haupt waived the young man's right Friday morning to put on proof to try to keep the case in Knox County Juvenile Court, authorities said.
Juvenile Court Judge Tim Irwin signed paperwork during the brief hearing clearing the way for Davis's case to shift to adult status.
Knox County prosecutors will now take the murder case to a grand jury for indictment, which is likely. Davis, who turned 18 last month, is a co-defendant in the case along with Rashan Jordan, 15.
Jordan already is being held in adult custody awaiting grand jury review on a bond of $2.5 million. He is set for a bond hearing to try to cut the amount on May 26 before Knox County Criminal Court Judge Steve Sword, records show.
Irwin set a total bond Friday morning of $1,005,000 for Davis.
Davis and Jordan are accused of murdering Stanley Freeman Jr. as Freeman drove away from school the afternoon of Feb. 12, 2021, as Austin-East let out.
They followed Freeman and fired repeatedly at his car, mortally wounding the young man as he crashed and flipped on Tarleton Avenue. Knoxville police investigators found more than 15 shell casings from a pistol and a 7.62x39 semiautomatic rifle.
Davis was 16 at the time; Jordan was 14.
They sped away after the shooting. Two days later, authorities say, they shot and tried to rob a 19-year-old man in a church parking lot during a busted marijuana deal.
They were arrested soon after and have been in custody ever since.
The pair also is accused along with a third man of chasing and shooting two Austin-East students on Jan. 14, 2021. The chase ended up at a gas station on Magnolia Avenue.
