Xavier Antonio Starke, a 38-year-old Black man from Curtis Bay, Maryland, had just celebrated his birthday the day before his life was violently taken. Known to some as "Tony," he was a father to four children. His death on June 11, 2016, was one of 318 homicides that would be recorded in Baltimore that year, a stark statistic that encompassed a personal and devastating loss for his loved ones.
On that late Saturday afternoon, the quiet of a residential street was abruptly broken by the sound of gunfire. Xavier had spent part of the day with two friends, a man and a woman, near Lexington Market. The three then drove in the woman's car to the unit block of Shipley Street in West Baltimore. After arriving, Xavier and his male friend got out of the car and walked up the street. The woman, who remained in the vehicle, witnessed a man approach Xavier and his friend. After a brief, heated exchange, the man pulled out a handgun and shot Xavier multiple times before fleeing on foot.
Baltimore City Police Department officers were dispatched to the scene following reports of a shooting. They found Xavier lying in the middle of the road, suffering from five gunshot wounds. Paramedics arrived, but his injuries were too severe, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators recovered nine matching shell casings from the area, evidence of the brutal, broad-daylight attack. The lead detective on the case was Walter Naylor of the Baltimore City Police.
The investigation into Xavier's murder continued for over a year. Detectives relied on the accounts of those who witnessed the crime. The woman who had been with Xavier testified that she saw the shooter clearly from about five feet away. Multiple witnesses eventually came forward and positively identified the gunman as 34-year-old Davon Crowner, who was known by the nickname "Big Baby." Based on these identifications, police secured an arrest warrant, and in August 2017, Crowner was taken into custody and charged with Xavier's murder. At the time of the shooting, Crowner was legally prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a 2004 conviction for armed robbery.
Davon Crowner was convicted of first-degree murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a crime of violence, possession of a firearm by a disqualified person, and wearing, carrying, or transporting a handgun. In December 2019, he was sentenced for his role in Xavier Starke's death. A judge imposed a sentence of life in prison, plus an additional 35 years.
During the sentencing, State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby commented on the outcome, stating, "This sentence ensures that this violent individual will never again terrorize our communities." She thanked the prosecutor, the Baltimore City Police Department, and the community members who came forward, emphasizing their collective effort "to pursue and punish this cold-blooded murderer to the fullest extent of the law." Crowner’s sentence was set to run consecutively with another sentence he was already serving in Baltimore County for accessory to murder, ensuring he would spend the remainder of his life in prison. The case, which had been open for more than three years, was officially closed as of December 2019.
