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A fourth man who was charged with second-degree murder in relation to a June 2020 double-homicide in the Pleasant Valley neighborhood has seen his charges dismissed by the state.
James Curtis Davis Jr., 36, of Fort Dodge, was charged with two counts of second-degree murder and one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person on Nov. 10, 2020.
The Webster County Attorney's Office motioned to dismiss the charges on Aug. 16, stating that through depositions conducted earlier this spring, the prosecution learned additional information that leads it to believe the original charges could not be proven beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
Following the dismissal of the charges, Davis Jr. was charged with intimidation with a dangerous weapon, a Class C felony, and possession of a firearm as a prohibited person, a Class D felony.
Davis Jr. has since pleaded not guilty to the charges and is scheduled to go to trial Oct. 19.
According to the Fort Dodge Police Department, two people were killed and two others were injured in a volley of bullets at a family gathering in the early morning hours of June 16, 2020.
Jamael Cox, 25, and 47-year-old Tyrone Cunningham, both of Fort Dodge, were killed. Marissa Andrews, 21, of Fort Dodge, and Jayne Barton, 30, of Wesley, were injured but survived.
Davis Jr., along with four other men, was later charged with two counts of second-degree murder.
The other four were: Darrell L. Jones, 23, of Fort Dodge; Jeremiha R. Hatten, 22, of Fort Dodge; Michael J. Shivers, 55, of Eagle Grove; and Michael J. Wells, 33, of Fort Dodge.
The state eventually dropped Jones' and Wells' two murder charges. Both were subsequently charged with intimidation with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm as a felon. Both have pleaded guilty and are waiting to be sentenced.
The court also dismissed the two second-degree murder charges against Hatten on June 28. The state then filed a charge of intimidation with a dangerous weapon the same day and he is also scheduled to go to trial Oct. 19.
Shivers, the remaining defendant who was charged with the two murders, is also set to go to trial in October.