Jasper Davis was known by friends as a fearless, genuine, and humble-hearted man. The 28-year-old Black man was also described as artistic, intelligent, and passionate, with a deep love for all types of music. Born on October 2, 1990, he had a flair for fashion and was remembered for sometimes putting plants or flowers in his hair.
On the late afternoon of August 25, 2019, Jasper’s life was cut short in the Elmhurst neighborhood of Queens, New York. Emergency services responded to a 911 call reporting a shooting near the intersection of Manila Street and Kneeland Avenue. When they arrived, they found Jasper with a fatal gunshot wound to his head. Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene.
The New York Police Department launched an investigation into the homicide. More than a month later, on October 2, 2019, authorities arrested a suspect in connection with the killing. The man taken into custody was identified as 32-year-old Jeffery Palomino of Flushing.
According to police, Palomino and Jasper knew each other, but a motive for the shooting was not immediately clear.
At the time of the shooting, Palomino had been out on bail for a separate case. Court records showed he had been arrested on drug charges on March 3, 2019, and had posted a $50,000 bond on July 10, just weeks before Jasper was killed. Following his arrest for the homicide, Palomino was charged with murder and criminal possession of a weapon.
As of October 2019, Jeffery Palomino was awaiting arraignment in Queens criminal court, and the case was proceeding through the legal system.
