FAYETTEVILLE -- One of five people charged with killing a woman last summer is asking a judge to prohibit the selection of a death-qualified jury because it would violate his constitutional right to an impartial jury drawn from a cross-section of the community.
John Christopher Davis, 28, is charged in the killing of his wife, Victoria Annabeth Davis, on Aug. 19, 2015. Police said Victoria Davis, 24, of 433 S. Hill Ave., was held captive at her house for hours and beaten by John Davis and four other defendants.
A death-qualified jury refers to a jury dealing with criminal cases where the death penalty is a likely sentence. This type of jury consists of jurors who aren't categorically opposed to the imposition of capital punishment and not of the belief the death penalty must be imposed in all instances of capital murder.
Such a jury is more likely to convict, according to the motion filed Friday by John Davis' attorneys, Kent McLemore and Robby Golden.
The other defendants include Rebecca Lloyd, 37, and Mark Edward Chumley, 46, of 433 S. Hill Ave., and Christopher Lee Treat and Desire Treat, both 30, of 315 S. Block St., Apartment 15, Are all charged with accomplice to capital murder.
The five are being held without bail at the Washington County jail.
Chumley called police at 12:39 p.m. and gave his phone to John Davis, according to a police call log. Davis told police he killed his wife because she wanted a divorce. Davis told police he "shot her up with dope" and said his wife was "in the living room on the floor," according to the log.
Davis told detectives he and other people kept his wife captive and beat her for several hours before destroying evidence at the crime scene, police said. Victoria Davis had injuries indicative of blunt force trauma from an object, police said.
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. Several of those arrested said Lloyd was involved, according to an arrest report.
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 report.
State Desk on 07/09/2016