Fayetteville police arrest five in death of young woman

Police say victim was beaten

NWA Democrat-Gazette/ANDY SHUPE Mark Chumley (left) of Fayetteville speaks Wednesday with Cpl. Robin Fields outside a house at 455 S. Hill Ave. after a caller reported a death at the residence. Chumley and four others were arrested on suspicion of capital murder, tampering with physical evidence and engaging in violent criminal group activity, according to the news release.
NWA Democrat-Gazette/ANDY SHUPE Mark Chumley (left) of Fayetteville speaks Wednesday with Cpl. Robin Fields outside a house at 455 S. Hill Ave. after a caller reported a death at the residence. Chumley and four others were arrested on suspicion of capital murder, tampering with physical evidence and engaging in violent criminal group activity, according to the news release.

FAYETTEVILLE -- A 24-year-old woman whose body was found Wednesday was held captive for hours and brutally beaten by her husband and four friends, according to police documents.

Police arrested five people Wednesday they say are linked to the killing of Victoria Annabeth Davis of 433 S. Hill Ave.

Rebecca Lloyd, 36, John Christopher Davis, 27, and Mark Edward Chumley, 45, all of 433 S. Hill Ave., and Christopher Lee Treat and Desire Treat, both 29, of 315 S. Block St., Apt. 15, were arrested on suspicion of capital murder, tampering with physical evidence and engaging in violent criminal group activity Thursday, according to a police news release Thursday.

Christopher Treat was also was arrested in connection with parole violation. Chumley was also arrested in connection with violation of probation or a suspended sentence.

The five were being held without bond Thursday evening in the Washington County Detention Center. Their arraignment is set for Sept. 21.

Each of the five could be charged with capital murder because they engaged in some behavior contributing to Davis' death, Prosecutor Matt Durrett said.

John Davis had been married to Victoria Davis since at least 2012, police records show. The Treats are also married, said Sgt. Craig Stout, police spokesman. Chumley is the Davises' roommate, and Lloyd is Chumley's girlfriend, police records show.

Christopher Treat is listed in police documents as a friend of John Davis.

"They all hang out together," Stout said.

The house at 433 S. Hill Ave. is owned by Marcella Skaggs, the grandmother of Victoria Davis, according to county property records and a police document. Skaggs didn't return a phone message left Thursday.

Chumley called police at 12:39 p.m. Wednesday and gave his phone to John Davis, according to a police call log released Thursday. Davis told police he killed his wife because she wanted a divorce, according to the log.

Preliminary reports show police estimate the crime took place about midnight Tuesday. Stout said in a message Thursday he was unsure if midnight is when the beating started or when Davis died.

On Wednesday, John Davis said he "shot her up with dope" and told police his wife was "in the living room on the floor," according to the report.

Police found Davis' body at 455 S. Hill Ave., which is a house on the same property as 433 S. Hill Ave. The door was locked when police arrived, and they could see Davis laying on the floor, according to police documents.

Outside, police found John Davis and five other people, documents show.

John Davis had wounds on his face and was taken to the hospital, according to a preliminary report. During the ambulance ride, Davis "uttered multiple statements that implicated him in the death of the deceased female," according to the arrest report.

During an interview with detectives, Davis said he and other people kept his wife captive and beat her for several hours before destroying evidence at the crime scene, police documents show. Victoria Davis had injuries indicative of blunt force trauma from an object, according to the reports.

Police said Davis' death was "extremely violent," according to a preliminary report. Several weapons were used in the beating, reports show.

Police wouldn't say Thursday what the motive was for the crime.

Police have been called multiple times this year to 433 and 455 S. Hill Ave., neighbors said.

Police investigated an assault and battery between Lloyd and another woman July 30, according to a document provided by Stout. Theft of $1,100 was reported the same day, the record shows.

On Aug. 2, Victoria Davis asked police for an extra patrol. Police beefed up patrols Aug. 2 and 3, police records show. The next call to police was Davis reporting the death of his wife.

Neighbor Brian Jones said Chumley and another man who stay at the property are violent. John and Victoria Davis have been at his home, Jones said. Victoria Davis was kind and sometimes allowed homeless people to stay on the property, he said.

"She would bend over backwards to help you," Jones said.

Chumley is listed in a police document as being homeless in 2013 and 2014. John and Victoria Davis lived at the homeless center in 2012, according to a police document.

Tracy Mejia, whose family lives close by, said neighbors are wary of the people who stay at 433 S. Hill Ave. She called Chumley and another man who lived at the address violent bullies.

Mejia said she knew another person had been held against his will and beaten there. Chumley and another man tried to beat up Mejia's ex-boyfriend, she said. Multiple complaints have been filed against people living on the property, she said.

"They like to bully and intimidate everybody," Mejia said. "How are we supposed to feel safe, especially now that a woman has come up dead? They don't even stay in jail very long."

Stout said he didn't know of a similar instance of someone being held captive and beaten at either of the two addresses, but Chumley is known to police. Chumley's criminal history includes harassment and battery, police records show. He also has been arrested on drug-related offenses, Stout said.

No drugs were found in the two homes and a camper on the property Wednesday evening, Stout said.

The two homes have peeling paint and the yard is overgrown with bushes and weeds. People come and go from the property constantly, neighbors said.

Sometimes 20 people stay at the home with people sleeping on couches on the porch, said Caroline Kitzmiller, a neighbor. The people seem mostly to stay on the porches, neighbor Lucian Ek said.

Kitzmiller said she didn't feel safe walking past the property by herself. The people who stayed in the homes are "sketchy," she said.

"You always lock your car and front door," Ek agreed.

Chumley and Christopher Treat admitted to taking part in the slaying, police said in preliminary reports. Davis, Chumley and Treat said Desire Treat also was involved. She asked for a lawyer and wasn't interviewed by police, according to her arrest report. Several of those arrested said Lloyd was involved, an arrest report shows.

Lloyd told police she knew about the crime beforehand, participated in beating Davis and helped the others "in the commission of the crime and helping them dispose of evidence of the crime afterwards," according to the arrest report.

The investigation is ongoing, Stout said.

Scarlet Sims can be reached by email at [email protected] or on Twitter @NWAScarlets.

NW News on 08/21/2015

Upcoming Events