DECATUR, Ill. (WCIA) — A man has been sentenced to life behind bars for a double homicide that happened in Decatur 18 months ago.

Raheim Davis, 30, was charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection to the deaths of Karlondus Thomas, 19, and Andrell O’Neal, 30, in July of 2023. The case went to trial in December and the jury returned a guilty verdict on Dec. 19.

Police determined that on July 21, 2023, Davis was “hanging out” with both victims on West View St. when Davis, for apparently no reason, shot both of them in a car. Two witnesses were present, one of whom started driving the victims away from the scene to get help.

Help arrived at South Webster and East Cantrell Streets, but Thomas and O’Neal could not be saved. They were pronounced dead at that location.

Davis was quickly identified as a suspect, and a warrant was issued for his arrest three days later. He was taken into custody the same day. The investigation later found evidence at the bottom of Lake Decatur that consisted of a gun, a magazine and ammunition.

Davis pleaded not guilty in August of 2023 and a trial began 15 months later in December of 2024. After a three-day trial, it took the jury only three hours of deliberation to find Davis guilty.

On Wednesday, Judge Thomas Griffith rejected a motion from Davis to overturn the jury’s verdict or grant him a new trial, allowing for the sentencing hearing to proceed. No additional evidence was presented and family members of Thomas and O’Neal read victim impact statements. Davis declined to make a statement.

At the end of the hearing, Judge Griffith sentenced Davis to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Davis was reminded of his right to appeal and a motion for Judge Griffith to reconsider his sentence was filed. A hearing for that motion has been scheduled for Feb. 19.