Messages about a gun sale preceded a deadly shooting in Columbus, police testify

A Thursday court hearing for a man accused of a 16-year-old’s murder in Columbus revealed that investigators were able to track messages between the victim and someone else about a gun sale just before the shooting, and investigators later recovered a completely-wiped phone when they apprehended the suspect.

Donquerious King appeared in Recorder’s Court Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to charges involving the death of 16-year-old DaMarcus Faison. Faison died following a shooting in the 400 block of Mt. Pleasant Drive.

Columbus Police Department Cpl. Adam Moyer testified Tuesday that video obtained from the area shows a Toyota Camry pull up to the location prior to the shooting. Moyer said the shooting isn’t visible in the video.

Investigators obtained messages sent between Faison and another number that showed conversations about a possible weapons sale, Moyer said. That same number called Faison for six seconds, and the number later came back to King’s grandmother, Moyer said.

Moyer testified that the FBI was able to map the location of that phone to the area of the incident.

Moyer said one of the phones obtained upon King’s arrest had been factory reset. Investigators learned through messages that King may have burned the sim card to that phone, according to Moyer’s testimony. It’s unclear if that phone belonged to King’s grandmother.

One 9 mm shell casing was found in the road at the scene, according to Moyer’s testimony. Moyer said a few firearms have been found that are associated with King. Moyer said those guns were being tested as part of the investigation.

Judge David Ranieri found probable cause for King’s charges and bound the case over to Superior Court.

King is charged with murder, armed robbery and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, according to police.

Following Ranieri’s ruling, the victim’s mother stood up and testified that King had been antagonizing family and friends of the victim.

Ranieri ordered that King couldn’t contact Faison’s family and at least one other person.

At one point Ranieri told Faison’s mother that King is being held without bond, to which she replied, “He needs to be.”