Delon Davis, 46, Minot, reiterated his self-defense claim during his testimony, claiming the alleged victim, Mark Ramon McMillan Jr., 36, Minot, and another individual fired the first shots during an altercation in the basement of a Minot establishment on April 1, 2024.

Davis testified he helped McMillan get a job at the establishment, where Davis was also a manager, and the two men both lived in the basement for a time. Davis said McMillan was fired in February due to missing work, the discovery that McMillan was keeping and selling narcotics on the property, and suspicions he was stealing items from the business that had gone missing. Davis said McMillan threatened to kill him after McMillan was confronted over the missing items and on another occasion when McMillan’s drugs went missing, but he couldn’t recall the exact dates the threats occurred.

Davis claimed McMillan had demanded compensation for the missing narcotics as they belonged to a Mexican cartel, which was holding him responsible for their disappearance.

Davis testified that on April 1, 2024, he and a man named Anthony Noble were recording music in the basement of the establishment and afterward saw McMillan and another man, William Weber, enter the building as he and Noble were talking in the alley outside.

Charles Crane/MDN Witness Anthony Decoteau testified regarding statements from Delon Davis in which he claimed that Decoteau had threatened him into disposing of the body of Mark Ramon McMillan Jr.

Davis said he had begun carrying the establishment’s gun after being threatened by McMillan and grabbed it before returning to the establishment’s downstairs and locking the door. Davis testified that McMillan began banging on the door, threatened him and told him to come out. Davis claimed the establishment’s phone’s battery was dead, and his cell phone didn’t have a signal, preventing him from calling law enforcement for help.

Davis said he opened the door and heard two or three shots, leading him to fire the establishment’s handgun twice. Davis said he observed McMillan shot and lying on the ground. Davis said he then ran out the front door of the establishment and hid the firearm in a dumpster.

Davis testified he returned to the basement to find a man whom he believed to be a Mexican man connected to a Mexican cartel, whom he identified as Anthony Decoteau. Davis claimed Decoteau showed him pictures of his mother and sister, threatening harm to them if he didn’t dismember and remove McMillan’s body and clean up the scene.

“It didn’t seem real to me. It was like something out of a movie. I was afraid for my life and my family’s,” Davis said. “He basically gave me instructions to move what was needed. I started cleaning the scene by picking up the shell casings.”

Davis said he took a break after preparing a bucket of bleach to mop up the blood, and spoke with the owner of the establishment briefly in his vehicle about the completion of closing tasks. Davis said the owner asked him why he seemed nervous, but he didn’t disclose the situation to him out of fear from the threats to his family.

Davis testified he called Anthony Noble and asked him to retrieve the firearm from the dumpster, telling him he believed he had taken a life. Davis said Noble arrived with the firearm and entered the building with Davis. After observing McMillan’s body, Davis said Noble tried to convince him to call the police and turn himself in because the incident was a self-defense shooting.

Davis said he told Noble he couldn’t contact police as he was afraid of the consequences of being a felon in possession of a firearm but did not disclose the alleged threat from Decoteau. Davis said Noble was disappointed in his decision but gave him a ride to purchase a suitcase for a planned move out of the establishment into a nearby apartment.

Later that evening, Davis said, he finished cleaning up the scene and wrapped McMillan’s body in an air mattress before moving it into a utility closet in the basement. Davis said he then packed up his personal items and spent the rest of the night at a friend’s place before he returned to the establishment to open up the next morning.

Davis said he went about his normal day to day activities and didn’t disclose the incident when questioned by law enforcement on two occasions in April out of fear of the alleged threats to his family members.

“I was afraid for my life, and my mother and sister being threatened. Also the fact I was told not to or there’d be repercussions,” Davis said. “I really believed something was going to happen to my family if I said anything.”

Davis said McMillan’s death had been weighing on his mind heavily in the months that followed, and it wasn’t until he was arrested when law enforcement served its search warrant on the premises on July 2 that he felt safe enough to share the information with law enforcement.

“I knew that the shop would get a lot of blowback. They didn’t have anything to do with it, so I needed to let them know,” Davis said. “I couldn’t handle the pressure anymore, from the stress and fear. I figured it was time to come forward.”

On cross examination, Deputy Ward County State’s Attorney Tiffany Sorgen questioned Davis on his testimony, in particular his description of the shooting itself.

Sorgen asked Davis why he hadn’t disclosed the alleged threats from McMillan in previous law enforcement interviews, or in conversations with individuals like Noble, but Davis insisted, “It’s what happened.”

Sorgen asked Davis about the number of shots he heard fired and how he reconciled that with the lack of bullet holes in the walls or door of the establishment, given he hadn’t been shot himself. Davis replied, “I understand what you’re saying, but I know what I heard. I heard two or three shots.”

“You’re aware that you shot twice, and you managed to hit Mr. McMillan both times?” Sorgen asked.

“I don’t know if it was me, but I shot twice. I was returning fire,” Davis said.

Sorgen also asked Davis about the first visit by Minot police to the business in April, during which he walked them through the building. Davis said he gave the officers free rein to search, but Sorgen said a review of the body camera footage showed Davis didn’t take them to the room where McMillan’s body was located.

Davis reiterated his claims that McMillan and Decoteau had introduced the Mexican cartel angle to the situation. However, the state called Decoteau as a rebuttal witness after the defense rested.

Decoteau testified he met Davis for the first time after McMillan was reported missing, and he was shocked to hear rumors that Davis had implicated him in the incident. Decoteau said he was Native American, not Mexican, and he had never set foot in the establishment before.

The jury was released after both parties rested their cases. Judge Douglas Mattson ended the proceedings for the day so the parties could hash out issues with the jury instructions.

Closing statements are set to be delivered at this morning.