Family, Friends Mourn Death Of Garner Teen; Police Seek Public's Help

Police found Joshua Davis, 16, lying along the side of the 1400 block of Hall Boulevard just after 7 p.m. Tuesday. The call initially came in to police as a traffic accident, but when officers arrived, they quickly determined Davis had suffered blunt force trauma to the head.

Police said the teen had been walking down the dark wooded road near the Tiffany Woods neighborhood with his cousin.

"From what we gather, he was separated from his cousin for just a matter of minutes while they were walking on foot to another residence when his cousin came back, [Davis] was lying on the ground," Blum said. "The evidence doesn't indicate there was a traffic accident of any kind or traffic crash of any kind."

Davis was transported to WakeMed where he died.

"What you have is three absolutely devastated families. They have been completely torn apart by this," said Deborah West, Davis' aunt. "Nobody -- no parent, no sister, no brother, no grandparent -- should ever have to go through this."

Grief counselors were on hand at Garner Senior High School Wednesday to help friends cope with Davis' death. Davis' best friends, who live in his neighborhood, cannot believe he is gone.

"He had no problem with nobody. He was popular -- a sweet kid who didn't do anything to anybody," said Austin Georgevich, Davis' friend.

"We're still investigating every lead we have," said Officer Jon Blum of the Garner Police Department.

Memorial services for Davis will be held at the McLauren Funeral Home on Highway 70 between Garner and Clayton. The viewing is scheduled for 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Thursday. The funeral is scheduled for 11 a.m. Friday.

Anyone with information about Davis' death is asked to call the Garner Police Department at

(919) 772-8810

. A cash reward is being offered. The State Bureau of Investigation is also on the case.