BENTONVILLE — Prosecutors on Thursday filed formal murder and kidnapping charges against a Bentonville man in connection with his wife’s death.
At A Glance
The Charges
Perry Davis faces life imprisonment or the death penalty if convicted of capital murder. Prosecutors haven’t announced whether they will seek the death penalty. Davis faces from 10 to 40 years or life imprisonment if convicted of kidnapping.
Source: Staff Report
Perry Dennis Davis Jr. is charged with capital murder and kidnapping, both Class Y felonies. Davis is scheduled to appear at 8:30 a.m. Dec. 17 for an arraignment before Circuit Judge Robin Green. He is being held without bond in the Benton County Jail.
Davis, 49, is accused of killing his 44-year-old wife, Kelly. Police believe Davis shot himself after shooting his wife. Police were called to the couple’s home at 804 S.W. Ouachita Drive in Bentonville at 5:21 p.m. Aug. 19 in connection with a domestic disturbance.
Kelly Davis’ body was found in the home after police entered almost five hours after an initial 911 call from her. Police entered the home after Perry Davis later called 911, claiming he’d been shot and needed assistance. Police aren’t releasing the 911 calls in connection with the incident.
Perry Davis was hospitalized for several weeks because of a gunshot to his head. Court documents claim he has a prefrontal lobe injury from the wound, is now blind and has retrograde amnesia.
The probable cause affidavit states police dispatch had an open phone line from the residence and could hear a woman screaming, “Don’t shoot me,” and a man telling her he was going to kill her.
Bentonville police officers Sgt. Tina Lorence and Garrett Penn were in the same neighborhood serving a warrant a few blocks away. Lorence responded and was on the scene shortly after the 911 call, according to court documents. She got to the northeast corner of the house and could hear a man and woman arguing, the affidavit states. Lorence also heard a single gunshot come from inside the residence, according to court documents.
Court documents reflect other officers arrived on scene and surrounded the home in Turnbridge subdivision.
Dispatch was able to contact Kelly Davis at 5:39 p.m. She reported everything was fine and asked the dispatcher to speak with her husband, the affidavit states. Perry Davis also told the dispatcher everything was fine. The dispatcher urged him to speak with police officers outside the residence, the affidavit states.
Davis said he would meet with the officers and then disconnected the phone, according to court documents.
Penn was on the west side of the house in a neighbor’s yard and could see the back windows to the Davis home, the affidavit states. Penn notified other officers he could see inside the house and observed Perry Davis beating his wife, the affidavit states.
Three police officers decided to make entry into the home and shouted instructions for Davis to come out with his hands up, according to the affidavit.
Perry Davis opened the master bedroom door about 18 inches. One officer saw Davis holding a black handgun as he opened the door. Perry saw the officers, slammed the door and fired three quick shots, the affidavit states.
The affidavit states it was unknown who or what at which Davis was firing. Lorence directed the officers to leave the house and a perimeter was set up, the affidavit states.
Dispatch made other attempts to make contact with Perry or Kelly Davis, but was unsuccessful, according to court documents. Dispatch received a call at 9:58 p.m. from an incoherent Perry Davis, who reported he had been shot in the face.
Police entered the home and found Perry Davis on the master bedroom floor with a gunshot wound to his face, according to court documents. Kelly Davis was found dead on the master bedroom floor. An autopsy later found she suffered two gunshot wounds in the left arm and abdomen, according to court documents.