Gregory Davis | Serial killer

Case name

Gregory Davis

Background

Gregory Davis was the son of a Baptist minister. He was born in Jackson, Mississippi, during 1966. Davis developed a sexual fixation on older women by the time he reached his teens. His special hangout was the Jackson public library, where he would sit by the hour, staring at women, sometimes reaching through the stacks to fondle unsuspecting victims as they browsed for books.

In January 1985, librarians called police on a patron's complaint that Davis was crawling around on the floor, peeking up her skirt and touching her legs. Davis was arrested for disorderly conduct. Police found two stolen credit cards when they checked his pockets for weapons. The Jackson charges added up to misdemeanor time, and Davis was packed off to Georgia shortly after his arrest, enrolling in the Job Corps program at Albany. The change of scene made no apparent difference, and Davis was soon up to his old tricks, dropping his pencil in class as an excuse to wriggle under desks and fondle women's legs. On at least one occasion, he reportedly exposed himself in the classroom, and Albany police later accused Job Corps leaders of covering up his escapades to spare themselves embarrassment.

The offence

Capital murder of Addie Reid

On March 31, 1987, Gregory Davis, a resident of Jackson, Mississippi, went to Manship Street to visit a friend who lived in an apartment there. Davis arrived at the apartment at around 7:00 p.m., but his friend was not at home. Davis then walked next door to 901 Manship, the home of Addie Reid, an eighty year old widow who lived alone.

Davis checked the doors and windows to see if Mrs. Reid was at home and alone. He then unscrewed the light bulb on the front porch. Davis went around to the back of the house and, using a small table, entered the house through the bedroom window, which was unlocked. Once inside, Davis took eight or ten dollars from Mrs. Reid's purse and then hid behind the bedroom door as Mrs. Reid entered the room.

Once she saw Davis, Mrs. Reid began to scream. Davis struck Mrs. Reid several times in the face, then put his arm around her neck and dragged her from the bedroom into the dining room. After strangling her, Davis covered Mrs. Reid's face with a towel and sexually assaulted her. Davis left the house through the front door and walked up Manship Street in a westerly direction past a doctor's office. Davis threw Mrs. Reid's purse, a small flashlight, and a jewelry box he had taken from the Reid house onto the roof of the doctor's office.

Other killings and related events described in the case summary

On October 17, 1986, 59-year-old Lucy Spillers was killed in her Albany home, one block from the warehouse occupied by Job Corps trainees. Upon discovery, Spillers was tied to the foot of her bed with a rope tight around her neck. She had been sexually mutilated with a butcher knife.

By November 1986, Davis was back home in Jackson, and the murders followed him like a shadow. On November 18, Mary Dewitt, 81, was sexually assaulted and beaten to death in her home. Bertha Tanner, 83, met a similar fate on December 11. Addie Reid was included among the victims on March 31, 1987.

A 74-year-old survivor, attacked on March 25, provided police with a vague description of the suspect. Another month passed before police ran Davis down.

On April 17, 1987, Davis got careless with a home burglary, leaving behind evidence that led to his arrest three days later.

By May 1, he was facing three counts of murder and one of assault in his native Jackson, with police from Albany preparing further charges in the Spillers case.

Investigation

On April 17, 1987, Davis left behind evidence at a home burglary that led to his arrest three days later.

Almost a month after the Reid murder, on April 27, 1987, the Jackson Police Department received a call from Bailey Avenue concerning a possible house burglary. Several officers responded to the call, which resulted in the arrest of Gregory Davis and his younger brother, Thomas, in the parking lot of the Jackson Mall.

Davis was first taken by Officer Shirley Williams to the Bailey Avenue complainant's home, where a positive identification was made. After the identification, Davis was placed under arrest and taken to Precinct Three in the Jackson Mall. Davis was read his Miranda rights, waived them, and was questioned for a brief time about the house burglary. After indicating he wished to remain silent, the questioning ended. Davis was then transported downtown to the city jail.

On April 28, 1987, Detective Charles Crisco noticed that Gregory Davis had been arrested for the house burglary on Bailey Avenue. Crisco believed the burglaries might be related to the Reid murder due to numerous similar incidents in that area. Along with his partner, Detective Robert Jordan, Crisco took Davis into one of the interrogation rooms on the third floor of the police department and began to question him at about 1:30 p.m. Before the questioning, Davis was again read his Miranda rights and waived them in writing.

After preliminary questioning concerning the Bailey Avenue incident and other burglaries, Crisco began to question Davis about the Reid murder. Davis initially denied involvement but then admitted that he had killed Mrs. Reid. The police recorded Davis's statement, had a transcript made, and had a policeman take a typed statement.

During the interrogation, officers took Davis to the doctor's office on Manship Street, where the pink purse, the flashlight, and the jewelry box were found on the roof of the office.

Arrest

Gregory Davis was arrested on April 27, 1987, in the parking lot of the Jackson Mall following a call from Bailey Avenue about a possible house burglary. He was arrested with his younger brother, Thomas.

Trial

Procedural history and venue

Gregory Davis was indicted for the capital murder of Addie Reid by the grand jury of the Circuit Court for the First Judicial District of Hinds County, Mississippi. The cause was transferred to Forrest County for trial on a motion for change of venue.

Trial proceedings

Davis's trial began on January 13, 1988. Davis did not testify in his behalf. He offered the defense of insanity. Conflicting psychological and psychiatric testimony was presented.

When the State attempted to introduce certain photographs into evidence, defense counsel objected, saying that the pictures were gruesome, repetitive, and that prejudice resulting from their introduction would far outweigh any probative value the pictures might have. The trial court allowed some of the pictures in and excluded others, including certain post-autopsy photographs. The State also introduced Davis's confession into evidence over defense counsel's objection.

After deliberating for thirty-five minutes, the jury found Gregory Davis guilty of capital murder. The jury then proceeded to sentence Davis to death.

Sentencing

After the jury found Gregory Davis guilty of capital murder, the jury sentenced him to death.

Appeals

From that conviction and sentence, Davis appealed, assigning four errors.

On July 26, 1989, the Mississippi Supreme Court decided Gregory Davis v. State of Mississippi. The court found no reversible error and affirmed the conviction and sentence.

Outcome

Gregory Davis was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death. The conviction and sentence were affirmed on appeal.

Other details

Michael Newton - An Encyclopedia of Modern Serial Killers described Gregory Davis as having a motive of “Sex./Sad.” and a modus operandi of “Home invader who preyed on elderly women.” The description stated he was “Condemned in Miss. Supreme Court of Mississippi.”

The case summary also listed a timeline of other killings and the reported pattern: Lucy Spillers (killed October 17, 1986), Mary Dewitt (sexually assaulted and beaten to death on November 18, 81 years old), Bertha Tanner (83, killed December 11), Addie Reid (eighty year old widow, killed March 31, 1987), and an attacked 74-year-old survivor on March 25.