Javon Rivers Arrested, Charged in 2024 East Chase Street Murder

Baltimore Police Department investigators arrested Javon Rivers, 41, on January 20, 2026, in connection with the December 18, 2024 fatal shooting of 31-year-old Donte Bazemore on the 2600 block of East Chase Street. Warrant Apprehension detectives took Rivers into custody without incident in the 2100 block of Harmen Avenue and transported him to Central Booking. Rivers has been charged with First-Degree Murder.

The department issued a media advisory on January 21, 2026, outlining the arrest and reiterating the original investigation summary. The advisory identified the case as a Southeast District homicide matter and asked anyone with information to contact BPD Homicide detectives at 410-396-2100 or Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7LOCKUP.

The arrest closes a roughly 13-month gap between the December 18, 2024 shooting and the apprehension on January 20, 2026. That span underscores both the length of homicide inquiries and the casework carried out by specialized units such as Warrant Apprehension and Homicide. For neighbors on East Chase Street and nearby blocks, the arrest may answer questions about the December 2024 killing and signal active investigative follow-through by the Southeast District.

Beyond this single case, the arrest has practical implications for public safety perceptions and the local criminal justice process. An arrest and subsequent charge of First-Degree Murder initiates a court process that will determine evidence admissibility, pretrial custody, and eventual trial timetable. For victims' families and community members, those legal steps are the next measure of accountability and are likely to shape conversations about policing, case clearance, and resource allocation within the Southeast District.

Community members who witnessed the December 18, 2024 incident or who have information about Rivers' movements between that date and his arrest are urged to come forward. Tips to BPD Homicide detectives at 410-396-2100 or to Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7LOCKUP can provide crucial evidence as prosecutors prepare to move forward. The arrest was handled without incident, and Rivers remains in custody pending formal court proceedings.

For Baltimore City residents, this development is a reminder that long-running investigations can yield arrests months later, but also that the path from arrest to resolution in homicide cases often takes time. The coming weeks will show how charges are prosecuted and whether this case produces the clarity and closure neighbors on East Chase Street and across the Southeast District have sought.