© 2026 Michigan State University Board of Trustees
Public Media from Michigan State University
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

CMU Student Charged In Parents' Death Faces Arraignment

Mt. Pleasant Police Dept.
James Eric Davis, Jr.

 A 19-year-old student accused of killing his parents inside a Central Michigan University dorm room will make his first court appearance.

James Eric Davis Jr. is hospitalized but scheduled to appear in court via video for an arraignment hearing Tuesday. He was arrested early Saturday following a manhunt.

Davis is charged with murder in the Friday slayings of James and Diva Davis. 

The family is from the Chicago suburb of Plainfield, where Davis Sr. was a part-time police officer.

Investigators say the couple was helping their son pack for spring break when they were shot with a gun that belonged to Davis Sr. 

They'd picked their son up that morning from a hospital where he was taken for evaluation after police said he was acting erratically.

Davis' defense attorney says he expects his client's $3 million bond to be addressed at the Tuesday hearing.

Related Content
With federal funding eliminated, WKAR relies more than ever on community support to sustain essential services that remain freely available to everyone in mid-Michigan. Your support helps shape what comes next for public media in our region. The best way to support WKAR is by becoming a sustaining member today or by upgrading your current gift. Support WKAR TV Here | Support WKAR Radio Here.