Staff report

WARREN — A father and son accused in the March 2, 2024, shooting death of U.S. Postal Service mail carrier Jont’e Davis in Warren will not face the death penalty.

U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio David Toepfer notified U.S. Judge Donald C. Nugent in Cleveland of the government’s intention in the case against Thomas Sledge, 45, and his son, Kaprise Sledge, 25, both of Warren.

The two men are charged with murder of a federal employee with a firearm specification in the death of Davis, 33, at Washington Street and Olive Avenue NE while Davis was delivering mail.

Toepfer did not give a reason why the federal government decided not to seek the death penalty in the case, but the Trumbull County Prosecutor’s Office in December asked the U.S. Department of Justice whether the death penalty should be sought against the pair.

Thomas Sledge and Kaprise Sledge were indicted in October 2024 by a federal grand jury and have been held without bond since their arrest.

A few hours after the shooting, the suspect vehicle, which was captured on a Ring security camera, was found near a home at 429 Maryland Ave. NE. The Mahoning Valley Crisis Response Team served a search warrant, and evidence was recovered, including the vehicle. Police said the victim and the suspects knew each other.

Warren police officers canvassed the neighborhood in the hours after the shooting, looking for witnesses and security camera footage. They found footage from an Olive Avenue home that captured a gray pickup truck driving down Olive Avenue at the time of the shots.

Warren police detective John Greaver then learned that a truck matching the description from the murder was “associated with Kaprise Sledge” and that Sledge owned a gray 2013 Dodge Ram pickup truck. The truck was located about 5:15 p.m. near the house at 429 Maryland Ave. NE, previous court filings state.

If convicted, both men could be sentenced to life in prison. Their trial is set for Aug. 17.