BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Exactly 20 years ago, a Bakersfield community was shattered by violence after 16-year-old Wendale Davis was gunned down. It’s a mystery that continues to haunt the community.
On April 23, 2006, Wendale Davis was sitting in the driver’s seat of a car outside a friend’s house near Cottonwood Road and Bradshaw Street in southeast Bakersfield when someone drove by and opened fire.
Two decades later, questions remain, and his father, Wesley Davis Jr., is still fighting to keep his son’s memory alive.
“Nothing even comes close to my own son being murdered,” Wesley Davis Jr. said.
Police suspected gang members. But now, the case has gone cold.
“Obviously, it’s still devastating for me,” Wesley Davis Jr. said. “I haven’t heard anything from investigators in years.”
In a statement to 17 News, Detective Frank McIntyre, who took over the cold case homicide at the Bakersfield Police Department three years ago, said:
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“Although there has not been any arrests made in this case, I can personally attest to the fact there are numerous active and tangible leads detectives are currently exploring to bring closure to Wendale’s family.”
He continued: “It can be beneficial to update a victim’s family on current leads, but it can be far more important to maintain the integrity of those leads for the benefit of the investigation.”
Wendale Davis, 16 at the time, was fatally shot in Southeast Bakersfield on April 23, 2006. The case remains unsolved.
Wendale Davis was a junior at West High School. He served at his local church and had big aspirations. His father said he was not involved in gangs and was tragically just at the wrong place at the wrong time.
“He was very intelligent, very sharp — aspired to become a fireman,” Wesley Davis Jr. said. “Just a really great guy. Honestly, he really was the star of my family, so that’s really painful, and it continues to be.”
But through the pain, Wesley found a new passion for life — the Wendale Davis Foundation. A non-profit that serves as a mentorship program for troubled youth and a resource for underprivileged communities — all while honoring his son.
“It’s just a beautiful thing to be able to deter someone else from going and committing a crime such as what was committed against my family,” Wesley Davis Jr. said.
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