Lawrence Myles Davis, a 24-year-old Black man who owned and operated his own cleaning service in Daytona Beach, Florida, is remembered by his family as a loving father to his young children. His life was tragically cut short on March 29, 2023, leaving his loved ones devastated and seeking answers.
The fatal incident occurred around 12:15 p.m. at the After Shine Car Wash, a detailing business located at 1757 N. Nova Road in Holly Hill. According to the Holly Hill Police Department, Lawrence and a friend, Kurtis Maurice Elliott, were at the car wash, a place they both frequented. An argument broke out between them, which quickly escalated into a physical fight. During the confrontation, a single gunshot was fired, and Lawrence was struck.
In the immediate aftermath, Lawrence’s brother, who was also at the scene, rushed him to AdventHealth Daytona Beach. Due to the severity of his gunshot wound, he was transferred as a trauma alert to Halifax Health Medical Center.
Doctors rushed him into surgery in an attempt to save his life, but he succumbed to his injuries on the operating table.
His mother, Lashandra Miles, was heartbroken by the news. “It was senseless, really," she said. "I just never imagined getting a call that my son had been shot and for him to die like that.” She spoke of the immense pain of his loss, especially for his two young children. “It hurts so bad that my son had to leave his children because he really loved his kids,” she shared. “He wasn’t supposed to leave us like that. He’s supposed to still be here with us.”
The Holly Hill Police Department quickly identified 19-year-old Kurtis Maurice Elliott as a person of interest in the homicide. At the time, police stressed that it was imperative to speak with him about the incident. They also noted that Elliott was already wanted on multiple unrelated warrants in Volusia County for charges including failure to appear, burglary of an occupied dwelling, resisting an officer, and fleeing and eluding.
Less than a month later, in April 2023, Daytona Beach police located and attempted to arrest Elliott on his outstanding warrants. During the arrest, he rammed a police car while trying to flee but was taken into custody. Following the investigation into Lawrence's death, Elliott was charged with manslaughter with a firearm.
In August 2025, after initially rejecting a plea offer, Kurtis Elliott, then 21, returned to a Volusia County courtroom and accepted a plea deal. He was sentenced to 15 years in state prison for the killing of Lawrence Davis. This sentence was to be served in addition to a nine-year term he was already serving for other charges, including aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer from his April 2023 arrest. In total, he will serve 24 years.
At the sentencing, Lawrence's mother, Lashandra Miles, expressed the emotional toll the two years had taken on her family. "It's been such an emotional roller coaster," she said. "This was my son that was taken from me senselessly." In a powerful moment, she addressed her son's killer in court, stating that he gets a second chance at life and that she forgave him. After the hearing, Elliott's grandmother hugged the grieving family. As of August 2025, the criminal case is closed. Anyone with further information was originally asked to contact Investigator Andrew Barrett of the Holly Hill Police Department.
