Family mourns Las Vegas shooting victim whose body was found next to dumpster | Murder cases

There are a few things Tamica Davis-Stephens wants people to know about her younger brother, who was killed in a shooting and whose body was found near a dumpster last weekend.

Eric Davis Jr., 45, had a family, was loved and was known for his beautiful smile, his sister said Monday after a hearing for Jaron Amey, 35, the man accused of killing Davis.

Amey is facing charges including murder, kidnapping, robbery and assault with a deadly weapon. His bail has not yet been set and he is currently being held at the Clark County Detention Center.

A man who appeared to have been shot was found in the 5000 block of Maryland Parkway on Aug. 11, the Metropolitan Police Department said. The man, later identified by the Clark County Coroner's Office as Davis, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The medical examiner concluded that Davis died from a gunshot wound to the upper body. His death was ruled a homicide.

“I want people to know. He has a family. He's not just someone they found behind a dumpster,” Davis-Stephens said.

She said her brother had a 24-year-old son and lived in the area where he was killed. He had been staying with her or another sister, she said.

He made everyone laugh, she said, and loved to crack jokes. He could sing and play the drums. And he loved rap, R&B and Motown music.

Davis-Stephens said he suffered a head injury at age 14 that resulted in him receiving disability benefits. Despite that setback, he managed to graduate from high school and become a certified electrician, she said. He grew up in San Bernardino and has lived in Las Vegas since 2007.

According to a police report from the Metropolitan Police Department, police received a tip on August 12 that the murder suspect was “PJ/Rome,” which is Amey's nickname.

A day later, Metro reported, Amey's girlfriend called police to report that he was holding two men hostage at gunpoint in a security booth. Officers found the two men there, but Amey was gone before they arrived.

Amey's girlfriend also claimed he forced her into her car at gunpoint and drove her around until she was able to escape at a gas station, police said. Amey then called her and threatened to shoot a security guard, who was his friend, if she didn't come to a security booth, the report said.

According to police, Amey's girlfriend identified him in photos from the night of the shooting.

During a police interview, Amey claimed, according to Metro, that his girlfriend had set a trap for him and forced him to sell drugs.

Amey also told police that Davis owed money.

“Davis approached him and acted as if he was walking toward him while smiling,” a police report of Amey's interview states. “He said he did not know what to do and told Davis to back away several times. He came very close, pulled his .45 caliber Springfield pistol from his pocket and shot Davis.”

Contact Noble Brigham at [email protected]. Follow @BrighamNoble on X.