Cold Case Break Leads to Arrest in 2023 Kalamazoo Homicide

Published on August 25, 2025

On Sunday, Aug. 24, 2025, deputies with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office arrested Daniel Ray Partee, 34, on an open murder warrant in connection with the 2023 homicide of Kunta Tavarius Davis, 43.

Mr. Davis was fatally shot Sept. 22, 2023, in the 1300 block of Cameron Street. Despite extensive investigative efforts at the time, the case remained unsolved. That year, the city of Kalamazoo experienced a record level of gun violence, with 22 homicides.

In 2025, the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety (KDPS) established a cold case team with two detectives assigned to focus exclusively on unsolved homicides. As a result of their work, the Kalamazoo County Prosecutor’s Office issued a two-count felony warrant against Partee on Aug. 7, 2025, for open murder and felony firearm. Partee is currently in custody in Florida, awaiting extradition to Michigan for court proceedings.

“This arrest highlights the importance of never giving up on seeking justice for victims and their families,” said Capt. Danielle Guilds of the Criminal Investigations Division. “The dedication of our cold case detectives, combined with strong partnerships with out-of-state law enforcement agencies, was instrumental in moving this investigation forward. This case is a reminder that time does not diminish our commitment to holding offenders accountable.”

Although an arrest has been made, the investigation remains active. Anyone with information related to this incident is encouraged to contact the Criminal Investigations Division at 269-337-8139. Anonymous tips can also be submitted through the Kalamazoo Silent Observer tip line at 269-343-2100, via the P3Tips app, or online at kalamazoosilentobserver.com.

By authority of: Captain Danielle Guilds

Figure 1: Daniel Ray Partee