IZABEL RENEE DAVIS - 6 months(2009) - Kingsport KS

Lawrence, Kansas --

UPDATE: March 22, 2011 5:13 p.m.
An autopsy report says multiple blunt force trauma injuries killed a baby girl who died more than a year ago.
The report indicates 6-month-old Izabel Renee Davis of Kingsport died in November 2009 as a result of repeated abuse and several hard hits that left the child brain dead.
Ryan and Larissa Davis are charged with first-degree murder, pre-meditated murder, aggravated child abuse and neglect in the death of their own child.
The couple was arrested in Kansas last month and will make their first appearance in a Sullivan County courtroom Wednesday.
The autopsy revealed evidence of blunt force head injury that caused bleeding between the brain and spinal cord.
In her narrative summary, pathologist Karen Cline-Parhamovich said her findings indicate more than one episode of head and skeletal trauma separated by time.
Parhamovich described the manner of death as homicide.Video report at link.http://www2.tricities.com/news/2011/mar/09/13/sullivan-county-couple-arrested-murder-charges-ar-895085/

A former Kingsport couple pleaded not guilty this morning to
first-degree murder and other charges in the 2009 death of their infant
daughter at their arraignment in Sullivan County Criminal Court.

Ryan
Lee Robert Davis, 34, and Larissa Renee Davis, 23, each pleaded not
guilty to premeditated and felony first-degree murder, aggravated child
abuse and aggravated child neglect charges on Wednesday morning.

In both cases, a tentative trial date is set for Nov. 14, with a motions hearing scheduled on June 10.

According
to Sullivan County Assistant District Attorney Julie Canter, the
couple's six-month-old daughter, Izabel Davis, died at the Johnson City
Medical Center Niswonger Children's Hospital on Nov. 6, 2009. At the
time, the Davises lived at 3236 Yorktown Road, Apt. 4, Kingsport.

Sullivan
County grand jury indictments returned March 8 allege the couple abused
and neglected the child between Oct. 25, 2009, and Nov. 5, 2009. "Her
death was a result of serious bodily injuries that came from child
abuse," said Canter.

In court Wednesday, Ryan Davis appeared to
initially misunderstand a question regarding his residency prior to
being picked up by authorities in Kansas. He described he and his wife
as renters at the Yorktown Road apartment, but eventually clarified that
after Izabel's death they moved to Lawrence where they were being
supported by the family of his other children.

He described having three sons from a previous marriage.

The Davises reportedly have no other children together.

The
pair's charges are the result of a joint investigation by the
Department of Children's Services and Sullivan County Sheriff's Office
following the child's death. The sheriff's office previously advised the
investigation had been prolonged due to delays involved in collecting
all the pertinent medical reports, such as autopsy results and lab
reports.

After the grand jury indictments were returned, Sullivan
County authorities sent warrants for the pair's arrest to Lawrence,
Kansas, based on information they had received that the couple could be
found there.

They were arrested at a Howard Johnson in Lawrence shortly after midnight on March 9, Canter said.

The Davises each remain in the Sullivan County jail in lieu of a $250,000 bond.

Larissa
Davis is being represented by attorney Gene Scott. The judge appointed
the Sullivan County Public Defender's Office to represent Ryan Davis.

http://www.timesnews.net/article.php?id=9030744

Mother accused of killing infant released from jail on reduced bond
By Kacie Breeding

Published June 24th, 2011 12:35 pm

A former Kingsport woman accused of killing her infant daughter has been released from the Sullivan County jail on a reduced bond.

Larissa Renee Davis, 23, and husband, Ryan Lee Robert Davis, 34, each are charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count each of aggravated child abuse and aggravated child neglect in connection with the November 2009 death of their six-month-old daughter. They were arrested March 9 in Lawrence, Kansas, and booked into the Sullivan County jail on $250,000 bond apiece.

According to Sullivan County Assistant District Attorney Julie Canter, the infant died at the Johnson City Medical Center Niswonger Children's Hospital on Nov. 6, 2009. At the time, they lived at 3236 Yorktown Road, Apt. 4, Kingsport, she advised. Sullivan County grand jury indictments returned March 8 allege the couple abused and neglected the child between Oct. 25, 2009, and Nov. 5, 2009, and that the abuse resulted in her death.

Sullivan County Criminal Court Judge Robert Montgomery agreed to lower Larissa Davis' bond from $250,000 to $150,000 after a hearing late Thursday afternoon. Her parents, Mark and Lori Scheidt, posted the reduced amount through A-Hood Bonding Company on Thursday evening.

During the hearing, attorney Gene Scott argued $100,000 would be appropriate and expressed confidence in the Scheidts' ability to get their daughter to court. According to the Scheidts' testimony, they helped bring their daughter and son-in-law into custody. They said they paid out-of-pocket for a hotel room for the couple, and kept authorities apprised of their whereabouts until they could be arrested. Both indicated their cooperation stemmed from concern for their daughter's safety.

"The person she was with is very dangerous," Mark Scheidt said of Ryan Davis. "Once we found out it was homicide in November, we had to be extremely careful."

Lori Scheidt testified she felt it, "wouldn't be beyond him to take her (Larissa Davis') life," if he found out. "He's extremely dangerous," she said. They also expressed a willingness to continue to keep close tabs on their daughter, indicating that she would have to remain in their company at all times, work for her father's company and undergo regular drug screens if they posted her bond.

Lori Scheidt told the court, "We gave her to you guys, we just want to take her home for a little while."

Staubus acknowledged the Scheidts' past cooperation, but noted the defendant's lack of it. Highlighting her admittedly extensive history of illicit drug use, he noted that defendants can be "difficult to control," despite the "best intentions of parents."

According to Larissa Davis' testimony, she was raised in Colorado, then moved to Miami, Fla., with husband Ryan Davis at about age 17. They moved to Kingsport in February of 2009, and their daughter was born in April of 2009. She initially testified that they moved to Lawrence in February of 2010, then later amended her testimony to say the move had been in November 2009, during the investigation into her daughter's death. She denied having moved to Lawrence to avoid detection by authorities, saying she went there to be with "her husband's family and his kids."

Her attorney, Gene Scott, pointed out that she gave a statement to authorities before leaving for Lawrence, and that he had subsequently recommended against providing any additional statements. She testified his advice was the reason she did not leave any contact information with authorities.

With regard to her past drug use, she testified she started using methamphetamine in Lawrence in November of 2010 and became addicted. She said she only used marijuana while they lived in Miami, but admitted illicit use of cocaine, Lortabs, Xanax and Oxycontin when they lived in Kingsport. She said she has been sober and undergoing drug addiction therapy since February. She also indicated that she is in the process of divorcing Ryan Davis.

In granting a reduced bond, Montgomery ordered her to be on bond supervision through the John R. Hay House, a non-profit halfway home in Kingsport, requiring her to report there at least twice per week. Conditions included that she would pay for the supervision, have regular drug screens and not possess drugs or alcohol, drive a car, or have any contact with her co-defendant.

He also ordered her to reside with her parents and to not leave Tennessee, adding that he saw "no reason for her to be anywhere other than Sullivan County or Washington County." The Scheidts' residence is located in Johnson City.

She is scheduled to return to court for an announcement on Sept. 1. Co-defendant Ryan Davis remains jailed in lieu of a $250,000 bond, with a motions hearing set on July 21.

http://www.timesnews.net/article.php?id=9033199

Published January 26th, 2012 11:15 pm
BLOUNTVILLE — A former Kingsport man, charged with his wife in their infant daughter’s death, wants his first-degree murder charges severed from his aggravated abuse and neglect charges.

Ryan Lee Robert Davis, 35, and Larissa Renee Davis, 23, each are charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count each of aggravated child abuse and aggravated child neglect in connection with the November 2009 death of their six-month-old daughter. They were arrested March 9, 2011, in Lawrence, Kan.

Ryan Davis appeared briefly Thursday in Sullivan County Criminal Court with Sullivan County Public Defender Steve Wallace and Assistant Public Defender Andy Kennedy and was set for a March 9 hearing on the motion to sever his indictments.

In the motion, Wallace and Kennedy contend their client has the right to have the murder counts severed from the abuse and neglect charges “unless the offenses are part of a common scheme or plan and the evidence of one would be admissible upon the trial of the others.”

For a “common scheme” to exist, the offenses must either: feature a “distinctive design”; be part of “a larger, continuing plan or conspiracy”; or be “part of the same criminal transaction,” they contend.

Kennedy and Wallace further state the “test” for whether a “common scheme or plan” exists is “whether there was a unique method used” in the commission of the crimes.

Also in court Thursday was Larissa Davis’ lawyer, Gene Scott. It was indicated that his client is expected to be in court for the upcoming hearing as well.

Sullivan County Assistant District Attorney Julie Canter previously told the Times-News the couple’s six-month-old daughter, Izabel Davis, died at Johnson City Medical Center’s Niswonger Children’s Hospital on Nov. 6, 2009. At the time, they lived at 3236 Yorktown Road, Apt. 4, Kingsport.

Sullivan County grand jury indictments returned March 8, 2011, allege the couple abused and neglected the child between Oct. 25, 2009, and Nov. 5, 2009.

“Her death was a result of serious bodily injuries that came from child abuse,” said Canter, declining to give specifics.

The pair’s charges are the result of a joint investigation by the Department of Children’s Services and Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office following the child’s death. According to SCSO Lt. B.J. Richardson, Criminal Investigations Division Capt. Joey Strickler attributed the length of the investigation to delays involved in collecting all the pertinent medical reports, such as autopsy results and lab reports.

After the grand jury indictments were returned, Sullivan County authorities sent warrants for the pair’s arrest to Lawrence based on information they had received that the couple could be found there. They were arrested at a Howard Johnson, located at 2222 W. Sixth St., Lawrence.

According to Canter, the Davises have no other children together.

Ryan Davis remains jailed on a $250,000 bond.

Larissa Davis was initially jailed on the same amount, but she was released on a $150,000 bond last June after Sullivan County Criminal Court Judge Robert Montgomery agreed to the reduction following a hearing that featured testimony from the woman’s parents, Mark and Lori Scheidt.

According to the Scheidts’ testimony, they helped bring their daughter and son-in-law into custody. They said they paid out of pocket for a hotel room for the couple and kept authorities apprised of their whereabouts until they could be arrested. Both indicated their cooperation stemmed from concern for their daughter’s safety.

http://www.timesnews.net/article.php?id=9041419