Murder suspect pistol-whipped and shot victim at point-blank range, police say

After a 22-year-old North Port man was pistol-whipped and shot, police said they have made an arrest related to his death.

Jaqavies “Quay-Quay” Rivers was found dead in the 2400 block of Roxbury Circle Tuesday, according to North Port police. At the time, the death was investigated as suspicious, but Thursday police announced it was ruled a homicide.

Friday, police announced the arrest of 26-year-old Marquis “Choppa” Harris in connection with Rivers’ death. Police say he lives lives across the street from where the shooting occurred.

Harris is facing two felony charges: second-degree murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Rivers and Harris argued Monday night about a previous burglary of money and drugs. The argument escalated and Harris struck Rivers with a pistol and shot him in the head at point-blank range, according to police.

Police interviewed Harris on Thursday and executed a search warrant on his home in the 7600 block of Wexford Street. That’s where police said they found a gun matching a description given to detectives as what was used to kill Rivers that also had DNA evidence on it and a spent casing in the gun’s barrel.

The investigation is ongoing and more charges are pending, according to police.

Anyone with information on the incident can call Detective James Keller at 941-429-7322 or jkeller@northportpd.com.

This story was originally published September 29, 2017 at 1:19 PM with the headline "Murder suspect pistol-whipped and shot victim at point-blank range, police say."