Information from court records:
In an effort to locate Vincent Smothers, Investigator Ira Todd contacted several law enforcement agencies in Kentucky, including the Lexington Police Department, and the Lexington office of the FBI.
In April of 2008, Todd spoke with a Sergeant of the Lexington Police Department who was familiar with Smothers’ partner in crime, Ernest Davis. The Sergeant explained that Ernest Davis had a brother by the name of James W. Davis who resided in the Lexington area. James Davis was believed to have previously lived in the Detroit area, selling large quantities of illegal narcotics in both Detroit and Lexington.
Back in Detroit, the Violent Crimes Task Force developed information that Smothers and Ernest Davis were observed leaving the scene of a Detroit area homicide in a late model Cadillac with Kentucky license plates. According to a confidential source of information, the vehicle was possibly owned by Ernest Davis’ brother, James Davis.
The vehicle, which it turned out was in fact registered to James Davis, was later located in Detroit in a burned out condition with a murder victim in it.
The Lexington Police Sergeant told Todd that James Davis had been successful as an upper level drug dealer and was now the target of an investigation into a mortgage fraud scheme involving millions of dollars. The Sergeant told Todd that James Davis was believed to have been involved in a major development project in the Detroit area, and that the Lexington Police were interested in investigating the relationship between James Davis, Vincent Smothers and Ernest Davis.
The Sergeant also advised Todd that James Davis claimed to have connections, both personal and professional, with Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick.
James Davis was arrested, charged and convicted in the mortgage fraud case, and is currently in prison. He has not been charged for his involvement in the drug trade or for his apparent involvement with the contract killings carried out by his brother and Vincent Smothers.
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