The Brian Davis Case Controversies

June 29, 2009 Brian Davis’s decomposing physique was located on an old dirt road close to the Intracoastal Waterway south of Lake Charles, Louisiana. The Calcasieu Parish coroner, Dr. Terry Welk, ruled the manner of death a homicide. Davis suffered from four gunshot wounds, with three in the back, and the final, fatal shot in the head. Investigators immediately grew suspicious following the starting of the investigation. The victim was identified near his Honda Civic which appeared to be jacked up on 1 side, as if to prepare to adjust a tire. Even so, additional investigation of the tire lead to the conclusion that the tire, becoming practically brand new, had no leaks and was not broken. In addition to the tire not becoming broken, the victim had an air compressor in the trunk of his vehicle. The location of the automobile and the body also was questionable. Close friends and household of the victim stated that Davis was certain about where he drove his car, and that he would by no means drive down an old dirt road to change a tire, in worry of damaging his beloved automobile. A search of the vehicle showed that Davis’s wallet, lap top, cell phone, GPS, and handgun have been missing. Nonetheless, other valuables had been left at the scene, such as a gold watch on Davis’s wrist and his wedding ring on his finger. Investigators ruled out a robbery gone incorrect in lieu of this proof.

Questioning of Brian Davis’s wife, Robyn Davis, created investigators even more leery of the incident. When asked about where she was the time of the murder, Robyn’s story changed a number of times, and each time her story did not collaborate with her cell telephone records. Her cell telephone records showed her cell phone “pinging” off of a tower opposite the path she claimed to have been at three:50 p.m. the day of her husband’s death, around the approximate time of death. Robyn claimed to be running errands with her best buddy Carol Saltzman at the time of the murder, having been with her husband just hours ahead of. Each women’s stories changed multiple occasions on their whereabouts, who was driving, etc. On December ten, 2009 Robyn Davis and Carol Saltzman had been charged by grand jury indictment with the Very first Degree murder of Brian Davis. On May three, 2011, the indictment was amended, charging each girls with Second Degree murder. In November of 2011, each females plead not guilty and the case was known as for trial. The ladies have been sentenced to life in prison with no likelihood of parole.

Both defense attorney’s arguments were primarily based on insufficient proof against their clientele. There was no DNA proof linking these girls to the crime, however, due to the decomposition of the body, a DNA profile could not be extracted. LeAnne Suchanek of the Southwest Louisiana Crime lab stated that in order to get a known DNA profile, the sample should be extracted directly form a person’s fluid or cellular tissue (findlaw.com,2009). The defendants argued that the proof against them was circumstantial. Defendant-Davis claimed that she was wrongfully convicted on the count of there was no proof she shot the victim or was present at the murder scene. Both defendants claim that the only evidence the State had against them have been the cell phone records indicating they were in an location they claimed not to be about the time of the murder. In addition to the lack of proof linking the females directly to the scene, the police lost a important piece of proof. There was a surveillance tape from Fred’s lounge, a bar close to the crime scene. The camera was aimed at the only way in, and the only way out of the crime scene. This video could have shown who was driving the Honda Civic that day, Brian Davis or Carol Saltzman. This likely occurred simply because the investigators did not stick to the chain of custody of proof, and it was misplaced.

Sheriff Tony Mancuso and investigators think that the two females lured Brian Davis to the secluded spot in the woods. According to Saltzman’s statement, her car has been broken down and Brian and Robyn Davis loan her the Honda Civic occasionally when she demands it. The night just before the murder, Saltzman allegedly took Brian Davis’s Honda Civic house due to the fact her automobile would not start off. The following day, Sheriff Mancuso believes that Carol Saltzman drove the Honda Civic to the remote location close to the Intracoastal Waterway. It is then that he believes she known as the couple to come assist her with the supposed flat tire, and the girls murdered the man and fled the scene. When the Sherriff was asked why Brian Davis’s wife would want him dead, he replied, “money.” Brian Davis was employed at a life insurance coverage business and had more than a $600,000 life insurance coverage policy that his wife knew about (CBS news, 2013).

This case has triggered tremendous controversy. A lot of think the females did not commit the murder, that they were incapable of the malicious act. There is even a Facebook web page dedicated to the freedom of both girls. There is a 48 hours episode primarily based on this murder. It raised a lot of attention from all around the state. In the episode, it talks about Brian Davis becoming a womanizer, and liking to have sex outdoors with his mistress, Fannie Dietz. Even so, Fannie and her husband both had alibis for the day of the murder, so it allegedly ruled out the “jealous husband.”

At present, the defense attorneys are generating motions to appeal the cases. Each defense attorneys stated that they WILL get these girls off. The jury deciding was 11 to 1, but right here in Louisiana you only need to have 10 jurors for a conviction. In my opinion, this case was decided on quite little evidence, while the wife may have had the motive, I do not believe she had the implies to commit the crime.