Davia Mayes Get 18 Years For Role In McDonough Drive-By Murder

JOLIET, IL - A young man from Joliet with suspected gang affiliation won't be spending the next several years of his life around the Joliet area thanks to his plea agreement and sentencing by Will County Judge David Carlson. Three Decembers ago, Davia Mayes was 21 years old when he served as the getaway driver for a drive-by homicide on Joliet's McDonough Street. According to Joliet Patch archives, as many as eight young people had gathered outside by the corner of McDonough and Joliet Streets. Eventually, Mayes and three acquaintances drove up to the intersection and Demond Fuqua aimed his handgun at the head of Terion Steward and shot him, according to prosecutors.

Steward, 21, fell to the ground and died. Another person, a 14-year-old boy, was shot in the foot during the drive-by, but his injuries were not life-threatening. The December 2014 slaying quickly came together for the Joliet Police Department as the 16-year-0ld Fuqua and 21-year-old Mayes were apprehended and each was charged with murder. According to previous courtroom testimony, Mayes and Fuqua decided to drive around and shoot a rival gang member.

As for Mayes, he recently worked out a plea bargain with the Will County State's Attorney's Office that gives him a chance at life outside the walls of a prison. Late last week, Mayes appeared before Judge Carlson and was sentenced to 18 years in prison. He pleaded guilty to the reduced felony crime of aggravated battery involving the discharge of a firearm. The murder charges were dismissed under the plea deal.

Now 24, Mayes gets credit for serving a total of 1,101 days inside the Will County jail as his murder case was pending at the Will County Courthouse. Court officials told Patch that Mayes' plea bargain requires him to testify at the upcoming trial for the accused triggerman, Demond Fuqua.

Mayes was represented by the law offices of Joliet criminal defense attorney Chuck Bretz. Fuqua's first-degree murder case is set for a pretrial hearing in Judge Carlson's Courtroom 407 in mid-January. He is being represented by criminal defense attorney John Collins of Chicago.

RELATED: Joliet Man, Along With Teen, Charged In McDonough Street Murder

Image via Joliet Patch