BRONX, NEW YORK – Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that KAREEM DAVIS, a/k/a “Reem,” was sentenced today to life in prison for the April 18, 2011, murder of Bolivia Beck. Ms. Beck, 20, was killed by a bullet while standing next to her boyfriend in the Mill Brook Houses in the Bronx, New York. DAVIS was aiming for Beck’s boyfriend, a rival gang member, but struck Beck instead. On December 17, 2019, DAVIS was convicted of conspiring to commit racketeering, murder in aid of racketeering, and murder through the use of a firearm after a one-week trial before U.S. District Judge Lorna G. Schofield.
U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “On April 18, 2011, Bolivia Beck was murdered while meeting her boyfriend’s grandparents on a sidewalk in the Mill Brook Houses. What should have been a happy moment ended in tragedy, when she was shot by Kareem Davis. For his role in this horrific and senseless act of violence, Davis will now spend the rest of his life in a federal prison. We extend our deepest condolences to the members of Bolivia’s family. We thank our partners at the NYPD, who worked to achieve this measure of justice for Bolivia and her family. This Office remains committed to investigating and prosecuting gang violence and seeking justice for all victims of violent crime.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment and the evidence at trial:
On April 18, 2011, Bolivia Beck was struck and killed by a bullet while standing next to her boyfriend in the Mill Brook Houses, where she lived at the time. KAREEM DAVIS was a member of Killbrook, a violent street gang based in the “Down the Block” section of the Mill Brook Houses. Since at least 2007, Killbrook had been engaged in a violent rivalry with “MBG,” a gang based in the “Up the Block” section of Mill Brook.
On the night of April 18, 2011, DAVIS and his brother planned to kill a rival MBG member as part of the broader gang rivalry. DAVIS and his brother, each armed with a gun, walked “Up the Block” in Mill Brook looking for their target, who was standing next to Beck and introducing her to his grandparents. At that point, DAVIS and his brother started shooting, firing at least 12 shots from their guns. Tragically, Beck was struck by one of the bullets and killed.
DAVIS also committed other crimes in connection with his membership in Killbrook, including drug dealing and robbery. In addition to his prison term, KAREEM DAVIS, 32, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced to five years of supervised release. Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher Clore, Jordan Estes, and Alexandra Rothman are in charge of the prosecution.