Central Peoria man identified as city's latest homicide victim of 2022

PEORIA — A 32-year-old Peoria man was shot multiple times and "had injuries incompatible with life," the Peoria County coroner said Wednesday.

Coroner Jamie Harwood said Michael Davis, Jr, who lived in the 1000 block of West McClure Avenue, was pronounced dead at OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center at 5:26 p.m. Tuesday, just over an hour after he was shot in the 1100 block of West McClure. 

His death was the city's 10th homicide of the year. 

Police are seeking a 41-year-old man they believe is linked the fatal shooting.

According to police spokeswoman Semone Roth, officers are seeking help in finding Rev I. Blakes, who is wanted in connection with a fatal shooting that occurred at about 4:11 p.m. Tuesday.

Blakes, Roth said, is about 5-foot, 11-inches tall, 160 pounds with short black hair and brown eyes. He's wanted for first-degree murder and is considered armed and dangerous. 

As of Wednesday afternoon, police had made no arrests, she said.

Officers were called to the area on a report of a man who had been shot. When they arrived, they found Davis. Officers began life-saving measures and paramedics took him to the hospital, where he later died. 

Blakes, Roth said, had fled the scene.

The matter remains under investigation. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call (309) 494-8367, Tip411 (anonymously), or Crime Stoppers (anonymously) at (309) 673-9000.