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Narrator: WHEN 19-YEAR-OLD DANIELLE DAVIS IS FOUND DEAD
IN HER COLLEGE APARTMENT,
THE SHEER BRUTALITY OF THE CRIME PUTS INVESTIGATORS TO THE TEST.
IT SEEMED THAT WHOEVER DID THIS HAD LOST COMPLETE CONTROL.
Narrator: POLICE IN STATESBORO, GEORGIA,
KNOW THEY'D BETTER BE QUICK STUDIES
AND FIND THIS COED'S KILLER FAST.
THE STUDENTS WONDERED WHETHER THERE WAS A SERIAL KILLER
RUNNING AROUND, WONDERED IF THEY WERE IN DANGER.
Narrator: NO ONE KNOWS WHO'D WANT TO TEACH THIS PRETTY, POPULAR STUDENT
A FATAL LESSON.
Garcia: DANIELLE DIDN'T HAVE ENEMIES.
SHE DIDN'T HAVE ANYBODY THAT WANTED TO DO HARM TO HER.
Narrator: WAS IT SOMEONE WHO'D STUDIED HER EVERY MOVE
OR JUST A RANDOM ACT OF EVIL?
THERE WAS A LOT OF SPECULATION --
MAYBE SHE HAD INTERRUPTED A BURGLARY,
MAYBE HER BOYFRIEND GOT ANGRY WITH HER.
THERE WERE RUMORS FLYING.
Narrator: WHEN INVESTIGATORS BONE UP ON THEIR SUSPECTS,
THEY DISCOVER YOU CAN'T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER.
I THINK HE SNAPPED, COMPLETELY LOST CONTROL,
AND I THINK THE REAL PERSON THAT WAS LURKING BENEATH THE SURFACE
IS WHAT CAME OUT THAT NIGHT.
Narrator: HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS?
WHAT LIES BEHIND THE WHITE PICKET FENCES?
-- Captions by VITAC -- www.vitac.com
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
THE TINY COLLEGE TOWN OF STATESBORO, GEORGIA,
IS STEEPED IN SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY,
SO LONGTIME LOCALS JUST SMILE AND SHAKE THEIR HEADS
WHEN FRESHMAN BRANDIE DANIELLE DAVIS
SPEEDS BY IN HER SPORT SCAR.
SHE'S ONLY BEEN IN STATESBORO FOR THREE MONTHS,
BUT SHE'S ALREADY A FAMILIAR SIGHT ON MAIN STREET.
Garcia: WHEN DANIELLE TURNED 18, SHE BOUGHT A SPORTS CAR
WITH SOME MONEY SHE'D INHERITED FROM HER GRANDMOTHER.
HER FRIENDS WILL TELL YOU RIDING AROUND IN THAT MERCEDES
WITH HER WAS THE BEST FUN THEY'D EVER HAD
BECAUSE SHE MADE IT FUN. [ LAUGHS ]
Narrator: IN THE FALL OF 2009, THE PINT-SIZED BRUNETTE
WHO GOES BY "DANIELLE"
IS LIVING IT UP AS A COED AT OGEECHEE TECH,
ONE OF THE TOWN'S THREE COLLEGES.
Bragg: DANIELLE DAVIS WAS A TYPICAL COLLEGE STUDENT.
SHE WAS A VERY HAPPY, VERY OUTGOING YOUNG LADY.
SHE HAD A LOT OF FRIENDS, LIKED TO HAVE FUN.
Narrator: AND AS THE SEMESTER SPEEDS TO A CLOSE,
YOU CAN FIND THIS "IT" GIRL'S SWEET WHEELS
PARKED OUTSIDE ALL THE HOTTEST HOLIDAY PARTIES.
DANIELLE WAS A VERY MAGNETIC PERSONALITY ALL BY HERSELF.
[ LAUGHS ]
SHE HAD THIS GRAND, OBNOXIOUS, FUNNY LAUGH
THAT JUST DREW PEOPLE TO HER.
YOU COULDN'T HELP BUT LAUGH WITH HER BECAUSE IT WAS SO FUNNY.
Narrator: WITH HER INFECTIOUS PERSONALITY,
DANIELLE ATTRACTS BOTH GIRLS AND BOYS LIKE MOTHS TO A FLAME,
INCLUDING HER ON-AGAIN, OFF-AGAIN BEAU
AN HOUR AWAY IN SAVANNAH.
SHE ALWAYS HAD A BOYFRIEND,
BUT SHE ALWAYS MADE TIME FOR HER GIRLFRIENDS.
Narrator: BUT DANIELLE'S NOT ALL PARTY GIRL.
SHE'S GOT A SERIOUS SIDE, TOO.
IN FACT, DANIELLE PLANS TO SPEND HER WINTER BREAK AT HOME
WITH HER MOM, WHO'S HAVING HEART SURGERY,
AND THAT'S WHY DANIELLE HAS CHOSEN A MAJOR IN HEALTHCARE.
Garcia: I THINK THAT MY DIAGNOSIS REALLY STEERED HER TOWARDS
WANTING TO BE A CARDIAC ULTRASOUND TECH.
I REALLY BELIEVE THAT IN MY HEART
BECAUSE IF SHE COULDN'T SAVE ME,
SHE MIGHT BE ABLE TO SAVE SOMEBODY ELSE.
Narrator: LITTLE DOES DANIELLE KNOW THAT HER GENEROSITY
IS ABOUT TO GET HER IN TROUBLE.
THIS SWEET GEORGIA PEACH WILL SOON CROSS PATHS
WITH ONE VERY BAD APPLE.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2009,
IS A BUSY DAY FOR DANIELLE DAVIS AND HER FAMILY.
MOM IS NERVOUSLY AWAITING HEART SURGERY AND COUNTING ON DANIELLE
TO BE THERE ONCE SHE WRAPS UP AT SCHOOL.
DANIELLE'S SUPPOSED TO MAKE THE THERE-HOUR DRIVE TO THE HOSPITAL
RIGHT AFTER HER MORNING EXAM.
Garcia: I WAS VERY NERVOUS ABOUT IT, AND I WAS GLAD THAT DANIELLE
WOULD BE ABLE TO BE HOME FOR MY PROCEDURE.
Narrator: GRANDMA DAYLE, WHO'S ALREADY BY DAUGHTER STEPHANIE'S SIDE,
IS KEEPING AN EYE OUT FOR DANIELLE.
BUT AS THE CLOCK STRIKES 1:00
AND STEPHANIE'S READY TO ROLL INTO THE O.R.,
THERE'S NO SIGN OF DANIELLE
AND NO ANSWER ON HER CELLPHONE.
STEPHANIE CALLED PROBABLY FIVE OR SIX TIMES.
I CALLED AT LEAST THAT MANY TIMES, MAYBE MORE.
AND WHEN DANIELLE DIDN'T ANSWER HER PHONE,
I KNEW IT HAD TO BE SOMETHING HORRIBLE.
[ CELLPHONE RINGING, BUZZING ]
IT WAS JUST UNTHINKABLE FOR DANIELLE NOT TO BE THERE
BECAUSE DANIELLE WAS ALWAYS THERE
WHEN HER MOTHER HAD ANY KIND OF MEDICAL PROCEDURE DONE.
[ WOMAN SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY OVER P.A. ]
Narrator: ALREADY STRESSED BY STEPHANIE'S SURGERY,
GRANDMA FEARS THE WORST FOR DANIELLE.
I TRUTHFULLY THOUGHT, "AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT,"
'CAUSE I KNEW SHE'D BEEN STAYING UP LATE TO STUDY FOR THE EXAM,
AND I THOUGHT, "WELL, MAYBE SHE FELL ASLEEP
OR SOMETHING HAPPENED."
Garcia: THE LAST THING I SAID TO MY MOM BEFORE I WENT INTO SURGERY WAS,
"FIND DANIELLE. SOMETHING'S NOT RIGHT."
Narrator: GRANDMA DAYLE WASTES NO TIME DOING WHAT HER DAUGHTER ASKS.
SHE IMMEDIATELY CALLS DANIELLE'S OFF-CAMPUS APARTMENT MANAGER.
Brown: AND I SAID, "WOULD YOU GO CHECK TO SEE IF SHE'S OKAY?
"BECAUSE SHE'S SUPPOSED TO BE HERE FOR HER MOTHER,
AND -- AND SHE'S NOT."
AND THEY SAID, "NO PROBLEM.
WE'LL CALL YOU BACK IN ABOUT 20 MINUTES OR A HALF HOUR."
Narrator: UNFORTUNATELY, GRANDMA DAYLE'S WORST FEARS
ARE ABOUT TO COME TRUE.
AFTER A QUICK LOOK INSIDE DANIELLE'S APARTMENT,
THE BUILDING MANAGER CALLS 911 INSTEAD.
IT'S JUST AFTER 3:00 IN THE AFTERNOON
WHEN STATESBORO POLICE OFFICER JODY STAFFORD
GETS AN ALARMING CALL FROM DISPATCH.
Stafford: THE MANAGER OF CAMPUS CROSSINGS MADE THE INITIAL 911 CALL
WHEN THEY DISCOVERED HER BODY, AND DANIELLE WAS DEAD.
Narrator: AND WITH JUST THREE YEARS ON THE JOB,
OFFICER STAFFORD ISN'T SURE WHAT TO THINK.
ONE OF THE THOUGHTS THAT WENT THROUGH MY MIND --
THAT THIS COULD BE A STUDENT THAT JUST PASSED OUT
FROM DRINKING TOO MUCH THE NIGHT BEFORE.
WE DO HAVE CALLS LIKE THAT SOMETIMES --
KIDS JUST GET TOO DRUNK, AND SOMEBODY THINKS THEY'RE DEAD
'CAUSE THEY CAN'T WAKE THEM UP.
Narrator: BUT WHEN THE OFFICER ARRIVES
AT THE APARTMENT COMPLEX ON LANIER ROAD,
IT'S CLEAR THAT WHAT HAPPENED HERE WAS NO PARTY.
THE DISTRAUGHT BUILDING MANAGER
IS STANDING OUTSIDE DANIELLE'S SECOND-FLOOR UNIT
WITH A CO-WORKER. BOTH ARE CLEARLY SHAKEN.
WELL, YOU COULD TELL THEY HAD SEEN SOMETHING HORRIFIC,
THAT ONE WAS ON THE VERGE OF SOBBING,
AND THE GENTLEMAN WAS JUST VERY SHOCKED AND --
AND HE JUST HAD A BLANK LOOK ON HIS FACE
LIKE HE WAS IN DISBELIEF.
Narrator: THE MANAGER SAYS THAT WHEN DANIELLE DIDN'T ANSWER HER DOOR,
HE LET HIMSELF IN WITH THE MASTER KEY,
BUT WHAT HE SAW SENT HIM RUNNING OUT IN A PANIC.
STAFFORD SEES WHY HE WAS SO UPSET.
THE BEDROOM IS THE SCENE OF A VICIOUS FIGHT
THAT DANIELLE CLEARLY LOST.
SHE WAS DOWN ON THE FLOOR BY THE BED, IN FRONT OF HER DESK.
SHE HAD A LAUNDRY BASKET WITH FOLDED CLOTHES IN IT,
PLACED ON TOP OF HER.
Narrator: DANIELLE'S COMPUTER CHAIR IS PILED ON TOP OF HER, TOO,
MAKING DETECTIVES WONDER
WHETHER HER KILLER HAD A PERSONAL GRUDGE.
Wynn: IT SEEMED THAT THE KILLER WAS ALMOST TRYING TO BURY DANIELLE,
WHICH WOULD MAKE ME THINK THAT THERE WAS CERTAINLY SOME TYPE
OF EMOTIONAL CONNECTION THERE.
Narrator: WHEN POLICE CAREFULLY REMOVE EACH ITEM, THEY LEARN MORE
ABOUT THE TERRIFYING LAST MOMENTS OF DANIELLE'S LIFE.
HER SHIRT IS YANKED UP, AND HER FACE IS BEATEN.
ALTHOUGH HER PINK SWEATPANTS ARE STILL ON,
OFFICER STAFFORD VENTURES A GUESS AS TO WHAT HAPPENED.
[ GRUNTING ]
IMMEDIATELY, I THOUGHT, "MAYBE SOME TYPE OF A *** ASSAULT."
THAT WAS THE INITIAL THING THAT WENT THROUGH MY MIND
THAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED -- WAS SOME TYPE OF *** HAD HAPPENED.
Narrator: AND THAT'S NOT ALL.
TWO ELECTRICAL CORDS ARE WRAPPED AROUND HER NECK --
ONE FROM HER LAPTOP, THE OTHER FROM HER BOOM BOX.
STILL, EVEN THAT WASN'T ENOUGH FOR THIS KILLER.
THERE ALSO APPEARED TO BE MARKS OF MANUAL STRANGULATION.
Narrator: BUT MOST HORRIBLE OF ALL IS WHAT THE OFFICERS SEE
STICKING OUT OF DANIELLE'S MOUTH --
A MECHANICAL PENCIL LODGED IN HER THROAT.
IT'S A CLASSIC CASE OF OVERKILL.
SOMEONE HAD IT IN FOR DANIELLE
AND WANTED TO MAKE SURE SHE WAS DEAD.
YOU START FEELING THIS KIND OF ANGER WELLED UP INSIDE OF YOU
ABOUT HOW THIS COULD HAPPEN AND WHO -- WHAT KIND OF PERSON
COULD DO THIS TO AN INNOCENT COLLEGE GIRL?
Narrator: NO ONE'S MORE DEVASTATED BY THE NEWS
THAN DANIELLE'S GRANDMA, DAYLE,
WHO'S STILL WAITING FOR STEPHANIE TO GET OUT OF SURGERY.
[ Crying ] "HOW AM I GONNA TELL STEPHANIE
THAT DANIELLE IS DEAD?"
THAT'S ALL I COULD THINK [SNIFFLES]
'CAUSE I THOUGHT IT MIGHT KILL HER.
Narrator: SINCE STEPHANIE'S VERY FRAGILE,
DOCTORS ASK DAYLE TO WAIT 24 HOURS.
WHEN SHE FINALLY TELLS STEPHANIE THE TERRIBLE TRUTH,
IT SEEMS HER DAUGHTER'S HEART WILL BREAK FOR GOOD.
Garcia: DEALING WITH DANIELLE'S PASSING AWAY
WAS PROBABLY THE WORST THING EVER.
[ SNIFFLES ]
[ Crying ] I HOPE I DON'T EVER HAVE TO EXPERIENCE
ANYTHING LIKE THAT AGAIN.
[ SNIFFLES ]
Narrator: TO EASE HER PAIN, DANIELLE'S MOM RACKS HER BRAIN
TO HELP DETECTIVES FIND HER DAUGHTER'S KILLER.
MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS, "NOBODY WOULD WANT TO HURT HER."
AND THEN, WHEN I STARTED THINKING ABOUT THINGS
THAT HAD BEEN GOING ON IN HER LIFE, YOU START WONDERING.
Narrator: DOES MOM REMEMBER SOMETHING THAT DETECTIVES NEED TO KNOW?
DID ONE OF DANIELLE'S FRIENDS TURN INTO HER WORST ENEMY?
Narrator: TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2009,
IS A DATE STUDENTS AT OGEECHEE TECHNICAL COLLEGE
WON'T SOON FORGET.
EVERYONE HAS HEARD ABOUT THE PRETTY BRUNETTE
WHO WAS FOUND MURDERED IN HER BEDROOM.
Bragg: THE *** OF DANIELLE DAVIS WAS SHOCKING.
TO HAVE SOMEONE IN THEIR OWN APARTMENT
SO CLOSE TO THE CAMPUS KILLED IN SUCH A WAY --
IT WAS DISTURBING.
Narrator: NEWSPAPER REPORTER HOLLI DEAL BRAGG
DOESN'T REMEMBER THE LAST TIME FOLKS WERE SO SCARED.
Bragg: THESE STUDENTS WERE FRIGHTENED. THEY HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
THEY WONDERED WHETHER THERE WAS A SERIAL KILLER RUNNING AROUND,
WONDERED IF THEY WERE IN DANGER.
I HAD THE SAME QUESTIONS EVERYBODY ELSE DID.
Narrator: BUT THE ANXIETY THAT LOCALS FEEL CAN'T COMPARE
WITH THE ANGUISH DANIELLE'S FAMILY IS EXPERIENCING.
WHEN I FOUND OUT HOW SHE DIED,
I ASKED GOD HOW THAT COULD HAPPEN TO MY GRANDCHILD.
[ Crying ] AND I DIDN'T REALIZE IT AT THE TIME, BUT I WAS MAD.
Garcia: DANIELLE -- SHE DIDN'T HAVE ENEMIES.
WHO WOULD WANT TO DO THIS TO HER?
Narrator: THAT'S WHAT THE STATESBORO POLICE DEPARTMENT
INTENDS TO FIND OUT.
AND THEY'RE HOPING THE ADDITION
OF VETERAN D.A. INVESTIGATOR JAKE WYNN
WILL HELP CLOSE THE BOOK ON THIS CASE.
Wynn: IT WAS FINALS WEEK.
ALL THE STUDENTS AND POTENTIAL WITNESSES
ARE FIXING TO GO HOME FOR CHRISTMAS BREAK,
SO THAT KIND OF EXPEDITED EVERYTHING
THAT WE HAD TO DO DURING THAT WEEK.
Narrator: REMAINING STUDENTS ASSEMBLE
OUTSIDE DANIELLE'S APARTMENT BUILDING IN AN IMPROMPTU VIGIL.
THE LONGER WE STAYED AT THE SCENE, THE MORE CROWD GREW,
AND YOU SEE SOME STUDENTS IN A GROUP PRAYING,
SOME STUDENTS IN A GROUP CRYING.
Narrator: NO ONE IS MORE SURPRISED THAN THE POLICE
WHEN THE SOMBER GROUP YIELDS A LEAD.
TURNS OUT TWO GUYS IN THE CROWD MAY HAVE THE INSIDE SCOOP
ON DANIELLE'S LAST HOURS.
JARED COOK AND KURT HYDE APPROACHED INVESTIGATORS
AND STATED THAT THEY HAD ACTUALLY
BEEN WITH DANIELLE THE NIGHT BEFORE.
YOU HAVE PEOPLE COMING FORWARD,
SAYING THAT THEY WERE WITH HER THE NIGHT OF HER DEATH --
IS KEY.
THEY WERE SOME OF THE LAST PEOPLE THAT SAW HER ALIVE,
AND THEY MAY HAVE HAD CLUES
AS TO WHO COULD HAVE DONE THIS TO HER.
[ LAUGHTER ]
Narrator: DANIELLE'S BUDDIES
SAY THEY WERE AT HER APARTMENT THE NIGHT BEFORE.
HOPING SOMETHING THEY SAY MIGHT HELP THE INVESTIGATION,
JARED AND KURT GIVE DETECTIVES
A PLAY-BY-PLAY OF THAT FATEFUL NIGHT.
THE TWO TELL POLICE
THEY HEADED OVER TO DANIELLE'S APARTMENT AROUND 9:00,
ALONG WITH DANIELLE'S OLD HIGH-SCHOOL FRIEND
DARYL PRIESTLEY.
WHEN THEY SAID GOODBYE AROUND 10:30,
JARED AND KURT SAY SHE WAS IN GOOD SPIRITS.
THEY HUNG OUT, JUST RELAXED,
I THINK WATCHED A LITTLE "MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL,"
AND THEN, AT SOME POINT AROUND 10:30,
DANIELLE SAID, "YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS NEED TO GO.
I'VE GOT TO STUDY."
Narrator: JARED AND KURT SAY THEY WERE BACK AT THEIR PLACE,
JUST DOWN THE BLOCK, WHEN THE *** WENT DOWN.
DARYL HEADED TO THE LIBRARY TO HIT THE BOOKS.
EVEN THOUGH JARED AND KURT SEEM SINCERE,
INVESTIGATORS STILL PLAN TO KEEP AN EYE ON THEM.
I THINK THE IMPRESSION THAT JARED AND KURT GAVE
WHEN THEY WERE INTERVIEWED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT
WAS THAT THEY WERE BEING VERY FORTHRIGHT
ABOUT THEIR COMINGS AND GOINGS.
Narrator: ONLY TIME AND THE THIRD MUSKETEER, DARYL PRIESTLEY,
WILL TELL.
BUT WYNN'S BEEN CALLING DARYL
FOR SEVERAL HOURS WITH NO RESPONSE.
WHILE INVESTIGATORS TRY TO GET A HANDLE ON DARYL'S WHEREABOUTS,
THE CORONER'S REPORT ARRIVES.
DESPITE THEIR SUSPICIONS,
DANIELLE WAS NOT SEXUALLY ASSAULTED.
KNOWING THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN IN HER LAST MINUTES
WAS A LITTLE BIT OF COMFORT
TO THE COMMUNITY AND, I KNOW, TO HER FAMILY.
[ GRUNTING ]
Narrator: UNFORTUNATELY,
DANIELLE COULDN'T ESCAPE A HORRIBLE DEATH.
Jarriel: THERE WAS BRUISING AND DRIED BLOOD ON HER FACE, IN HER EAR,
AND IT APPEARED THAT SHE HAD BEEN STRUCK MULTIPLE TIMES
IN THE FACE AND ON THE SIDE OF THE HEAD
BEFORE SHE WAS MURDERED.
Narrator: IN ADDITION TO THE BRUTAL BEATING DANIELLE ENDURED,
THE M.E. CONFIRMS THAT SHE WAS STRANGLED TO DEATH
WITH BOTH OF THE CORDS FOUND WRAPPED AROUND HER NECK.
THE METICULOUS M.E. ALSO DISCOVERS THAT THE KILLER
LEFT A LITTLE SOMETHING BEHIND ON THE WEAPONS -- SKIN CELLS.
WHEN YOU FIND DNA, LIKE THIS CASE, ON A LIGATURE,
YOU'VE ESSENTIALLY GOT THE KILLER'S DNA,
AND THEN IT'S JUST A MATTER OF FINDING A MATCH FOR THAT DNA.
Narrator: IS THE RIGHTFUL OWNER
SOMEONE INVESTIGATORS ALREADY HAVE THEIR SIGHTS ON
OR SOMEONE ELSE IN DANIELLE'S INNER CIRCLE?
[ GRUNTING ]
WHOEVER THE CALLOUS KILLER WAS,
HE DIDN'T STOP AFTER DANIELLE BREATHED HER LAST.
THE CORONER IS CERTAIN
THE PENCIL FOUND JAMMED INTO HER MOUTH
WAS PUT THERE POSTMORTEM.
Jarriel: WHEN I FOUND OUT THAT THAT WAS A POSTMORTEM INJURY,
THE BIG QUESTION FOR ME WAS, YOU KNOW, "WHY?
WHAT PURPOSE DID THE PENCIL SERVE?"
Narrator: WAS IT SOME FORM OF TORTURE
OR A BIZARRE CALLING CARD LEFT BY A DERANGED KILLER?
DETECTIVES AREN'T SURE JUST YET.
ANY INVESTIGATOR WORTH HIS SALT KNOWS JUST ABOUT ANY MAN
IN THE CUTE COED'S LIFE COULD HAVE DONE IT.
WAS IT ONE OF THE THREE SUSPECTS ALREADY ON THEIR RADAR
OR SOMEONE ELSE, EITHER ON CAMPUS OR OFF?
MAYBE EVEN DANIELLE'S SOMETIME BOYFRIEND, SHANE ALLMAN,
WHO LIVES AN HOUR AWAY IN SAVANNAH?
THERE ARE MANY CASES, OBVIOUSLY,
WHERE THE BOYFRIEND OR LOVE INTEREST
HAS ACTUALLY COMMITTED THIS TYPE OF CRIME.
Narrator: WHEN DETECTIVES START LOOKING INTO SHANE,
THEY LEARN THAT HE AND DANIELLE OFTEN SPENT TIME TOGETHER
IN SHANE'S NECK OF THE WOODS.
WHILE SHANE CLAIMS HE HASN'T SEEN DANIELLE IN A FEW WEEKS,
INVESTIGATORS WOULDN'T BE DOING THEIR JOBS
IF THEY DIDN'T DIG A LITTLE DEEPER.
Stafford: GIVEN THIS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE VICTIM,
I THINK IT DEEMED FURTHER SCRUTINY ON HIS PART
TO EXCLUDE HIM AS A SUSPECT,
GIVEN THE HISTORY OF CRIMES OF PASSION.
Narrator: SO INVESTIGATORS DIAL UP DISTRAUGHT SHANE,
WHO'S GOT QUITE A LOT TO SAY.
SHANE OFFERED SOME INSIGHT
INTO WHAT HAPPENED THE NIGHT BEFORE WITH DANIELLE.
YOU KNOW, I'M GETTING ALMOST AN EYEWITNESS OF WHAT'S GOING ON,
AND IT'S JUST...
UNBELIEVABLE.
Narrator: JUST ONE DAY AFTER PRETTY COED DANIELLE DAVIS
IS FOUND STRANGLED TO DEATH IN HER APARTMENT,
RUMORS RUN RAMPANT
THROUGH THE COLLEGE TOWN OF STATESBORO, GEORGIA.
THERE WAS A LOT OF SPECULATION.
PEOPLE THOUGHT MAYBE SHE HAD INTERRUPTED A BURGLARY,
MAYBE IT WAS SOMEONE THAT GOT ANGRY WITH HER OVER SOMETHING,
MAYBE IT WAS A BOYFRIEND.
Narrator: SOMETHING OGEECHEE ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY DAPHNE JARRIEL
HAS ALREADY CONSIDERED.
IT WAS CLEAR THAT WHOEVER KILLED DANIELLE
HAD A LOT OF EMOTION GOING ON.
THERE WAS A LOT OF INJURY INFLICTED TO HER BODY,
A LOT OF THINGS THAT SEEMED TO POINT TO THE IDEA
THAT SHE KNEW HER KILLER.
AND, SO, SHANE ALLMAN, BEING HER SOMETIMES BOYFRIEND,
IS SOMEBODY THAT POLICE WANTED TO TALK TO.
MY FAMILY WAS IN CONTACT WITH SHANE.
AS A MOM, YOU THINK, "OH, WELL, IT COULD HAVE BEEN ANYBODY,"
YOU KNOW, AT THAT POINT, SO I SAID,
"DO YOU THINK THAT SHANE COULD HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS?"
Narrator: DANIELLE HAD JUST MET SHANE A FEW MONTHS EARLIER
WHILE WORKING A PART-TIME JOB.
Garcia: DANIELLE USED TO GO DOWN TO SAVANNAH TO WAITRESS
ON THE WEEKENDS AND EARN SOME EXTRA MONEY.
Narrator: EVEN THOUGH THE TWO HIT IT OFF IMMEDIATELY,
BETWEEN THE DISTANCE AND DANIELLE'S DEDICATION TO SCHOOL,
IT WAS HARD FOR THE COUPLE
TO BE ANYTHING MORE THAN WEEKEND LOVEBIRDS.
STILL, MOM STEPHANIE WAS A BIG FAN.
WHEN I MET SHANE, I REALLY -- I REALLY LIKED HIM,
AND IT WAS CLEAR TO ME
THAT HE JUST THOUGHT THE WORLD OF DANIELLE.
Narrator: STEADFAST SHANE SWEARS HE HAD NOTHING TO DO
WITH DANIELLE'S ***
AND SAYS HE ONLY WANTS TO HELP INVESTIGATORS ANY WAY POSSIBLE.
BUT DETECTIVES AREN'T SO SURE
SHANE'S THE SWEETHEART HE CLAIMS TO BE.
Stafford: IN SPEAKING WITH SHANE ON THE PHONE,
HE DIDN'T SOUND AS REMORSEFUL AS I THOUGHT HE SHOULD SOUND.
HE WASN'T CRYING.
HE DIDN'T SOUND AS UPSET
AS I THOUGHT SOMEONE IN THAT POSITION SHOULD SOUND.
Narrator: SHANE SAYS HE WAS IN SAVANNAH WHEN DANIELLE WAS MURDERED,
BUT THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN HE'S INNOCENT.
Wynn: IT WOULD HAVE BEEN CERTAINLY POSSIBLE FOR SOMEBODY
TO HAVE DRIVEN AN HOUR FROM SAVANNAH TO STATESBORO,
COMMIT THIS CRIME, AND THEN RETURN TO SAVANNAH
LONG BEFORE DANIELLE WAS EVER FOUND.
Narrator: SHANE INSISTS THAT NOT ONLY WAS HE AT HOME,
HE TELLS INVESTIGATORS HE MAY HAVE BEEN ON THE PHONE
WITH DANIELLE WHEN HER KILLER CAME CALLING.
SHANE INDICATED THAT DANIELLE HAD CALLED HIM ON THE PHONE
AROUND 10:35 ON MONDAY, THE NIGHT THAT SHE WAS KILLED.
Narrator: UNBEKNOWNST TO SHANE, IT WAS ONLY MINUTES
AFTER DANIELLE'S FRIENDS, JARED, KURT, AND DARYL,
CLAIM THEY LEFT HER APARTMENT.
THEY WERE ON THE PHONE FOR 15 OR 20 MINUTES
WHEN SHE GOT A KNOCK AT THE DOOR.
Stafford: DANIELLE WAS SCARED 'CAUSE SHE WAS BY HERSELF.
SHANE SUGGESTED -- ANSWER THE DOOR WITH HIM ON THE PHONE,
SO IF SOMETHING UNUSUAL HAPPENED,
HE COULD CALL 911 FOR HER.
SO, SHE WENT TO ANSWER THE DOOR AND LOOKED TO SEE WHO IT WAS,
AND SHE SAID, "OH, IT'S JUST ABBY NORRIS.
I'LL CALL YOU BACK. LET ME ANSWER THE DOOR."
AND HUNG UP WITH HIM.
AND HE SAID THAT'S THE LAST TIME HE SPOKE WITH HER.
Narrator: SHANE SAYS HE TRIED CALLING DANIELLE BACK SEVERAL TIMES
BEFORE FALLING ASLEEP, BUT WHEN SHE DIDN'T ANSWER,
HE FIGURED SHE WAS EITHER VISITING WITH HER FRIEND ABBY
OR STUDYING FOR HER MORNING EXAM.
INVESTIGATORS WONDER
IF SHANE'S ACCOUNT IS ON THE UP-AND-UP.
YOU GET A GUT FEELING A LOT OF TIMES IN POLICE WORK,
AND IT WAS JUST A GUT FEELING SOMETHING WASN'T RIGHT.
Narrator: INVESTIGATOR WYNN ASKS SHANE TO STAY CLOSE TO HIS PHONE,
KNOWING THERE'S ONE SUREFIRE WAY TO CHECK OUT HIS STORY --
BY TRACKING DOWN THE PERSON WHO DETECTIVES NOW THINK
MAY HAVE BEEN THE LAST ONE TO SEE DANIELLE ALIVE --
HER FRIEND ABBY.
WE NEED TO TALK WITH ABBY NORRIS.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO LOCATE HER QUICKLY
BECAUSE SHE COULD BE A POTENTIAL SUSPECT
OR KNOW THE SUSPECT AT THIS POINT.
Narrator: WITH A LITTLE DIGGING, DETECTIVES LEARN
THAT ABBY IS A FRESHMAN AT ANOTHER COLLEGE
ONLY A FEW MINUTES DOWN THE ROAD.
BUT WHEN INVESTIGATOR WYNN GOES TO TALK TO HER,
THIS PRETTY STUDENT DRAWS A BLANK.
IN SPEAKING WITH ABBY, SHE SEEMED ALMOST CONFUSED
AS TO WHY SHE WAS EVEN BEING QUESTIONED.
Narrator: ABBY SAYS SHE WAS NOT THE PERSON
KNOCKING ON DANIELLE'S DOOR THE NIGHT SHE WAS KILLED
AND CLAIMS THAT BETWEEN STUDYING FOR FINALS
AND THE UPCOMING HOLIDAYS,
THE TWO BUSY FRIENDS HADN'T SEEN EACH OTHER IN WEEKS,
WHICH LEAVES INVESTIGATORS DESPERATE TO FILL IN THE BLANKS.
Bragg: YOU'VE GOT DANIELLE DAVIS TELLING SHANE ALLMAN
THAT IT'S ABBY NORRIS AT THE DOOR,
BUT ABBY DENIES THIS.
WAS THERE SOMEBODY AT THE DOOR
THAT DANIELLE DIDN'T WANT SHANE TO KNOW ABOUT?
WAS IT ABBY AT THE DOOR,
AND DID SHE NOT WANT POLICE TO KNOW SHE WAS THERE?
THERE ARE SO MANY QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT, YOU DON'T KNOW.
WHAT YOU DO KNOW IS, IT'S NOT ADDING UP.
Narrator: SOMEONE'S TELLING TALES OUT OF SCHOOL.
BUT TO PROVE IT'S NOT HER,
ABBY HANDS OVER HER CELLPHONE, CONFIRMING HER STORY.
Wynn: AFTER TALKING WITH ABBY,
WE WERE ABLE TO CORROBORATE HER WHEREABOUTS
BY TALKING WITH OTHER PEOPLE
AND THE FACT THAT SHE HAD WILLFULLY PROVIDED HER CELLPHONE
FOR US TO LOOK THROUGH.
Narrator: AND ABBY'S VERY APPEARANCE BELIES HER INVOLVEMENT
IN DANIELLE'S ***.
SHE WAS A VERY PETITE GIRL, AND THE BRUTALITY OF THIS ATTACK
TO HAVE BEEN PHYSICALLY POSSIBLE FOR ABBY SEEMED HIGHLY UNLIKELY.
Narrator: SO DOES THIS MEAN DANIELLE LIED TO HER LONG-DISTANCE LOVER
ABOUT THE IDENTITY OF HER LATE-NIGHT VISITOR?
Wynn: AT THAT POINT, WE SUSPECTED
THAT EITHER SHANE WAS NOT BEING TRUTHFUL
OR DANIELLE HAD NOT BEEN TRUTHFUL TO SHANE
IN TELLING HIM THAT ABBY WAS AT THE DOOR.
Narrator: BEFORE INVESTIGATORS CAN SHAKE UP SOME ANSWERS ABOUT SHANE,
THEY GET A SURPRISE OF THEIR OWN WHEN THE MISSING THIRD FRIEND,
DARYL PRIESTLEY, WALKS INTO THE POLICE STATION VOLUNTARILY.
Jarriel: HE WAS THE LAST PART OF THAT GROUP OF THREE
THAT THEY HAD NOT HAD A CHANCE TO TALK WITH.
THE INVESTIGATORS WERE ANXIOUS
TO SIT DOWN WITH DARYL AND TALK THROUGH HIS ACCOUNT
OF WHAT HAD HAPPENED ON MONDAY THE 7th.
Narrator: SUDDENLY, INVESTIGATORS FIND THEMSELVES FACE-TO-FACE
WITH A HULKING TEEN WHO'S DISARMINGLY SOFT-SPOKEN.
AT 6'2" AND OVER 200 POUNDS, IT SEEMS DARYL IS A GENTLE GIANT
WHO'S EAGER TO TALK ABOUT THAT NIGHT.
DARYL CLAIMS IT WAS A LITTLE HARD TO CHILL OUT
WITH THE CONSTANT CALLS
FROM DANIELLE'S PERSISTENT BEAU, SHANE.
DARYL INDICATED THAT THE PHONE CALLS FROM SHANE TO DANIELLE
OCCURRED WHILE THEY WERE AT THE APARTMENT,
SOMETIME BETWEEN 10:00 AND 10:30.
THE WAY DARYL PAINTED THE PICTURE,
IT WAS THAT SHANE WAS REPEATEDLY CALLING OVER AND OVER AND OVER,
SO THAT WAS -- THAT WAS NOTEWORTHY.
Narrator: YET, THEY WERE CALLS SHANE READILY ADMITTED TO.
SO IT'S WHAT DARYL SAYS NEXT
THAT REALLY MAKES INVESTIGATOR WYNN'S EARS PERK UP.
DARYL RECALLED DANIELLE STATING THAT SHE COULDN'T PICK UP
BECAUSE IF HE FOUND OUT THAT THERE WERE THREE GUYS
IN HER APARTMENT, HE WOULD BE UPSET.
THERE WAS A CONFLICT IN --
IN WHAT SHANE WAS SAYING AND WHAT DARYL WAS SAYING.
Narrator: SO INVESTIGATOR WYNN ASKS ABOUT DARYL'S OWN ALIBI.
AS FRIENDS JARED AND KURT HAD PREVIOUSLY TOLD DETECTIVES,
DARYL CLAIMS THAT AFTER LEAVING DANIELLE'S APARTMENT AT 10:30,
HE WENT TO THE LIBRARY TO STUDY.
HOWEVER, WHEN INVESTIGATOR WYNN ASKS DARYL IF ANYONE ELSE
CAN CONFIRM HIS LATE-NIGHT STUDY SESSION,
THINGS START TO GET A LITTLE DICEY.
Wynn: WE MENTIONED THAT THE LIBRARY HAS AN EXCELLENT CAMERA SYSTEM
AND WE WOULD BE ABLE TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT TIME
THAT HE ENTERED AND LEFT THE LIBRARY THAT EVENING.
HE THEN BACKED UP A BIT
AND STATED THAT HE ACTUALLY HAD NOT GONE TO THE LIBRARY.
Narrator: DARYL SAYS HE GOT TO THE LIBRARY,
BUT DIDN'T GO IN, REALIZING AT THE LAST MINUTE
THAT HE'D FORGOTTEN THE U.S.B. DRIVE
CONTAINING ALL HIS STUDY MATERIALS.
Wynn: AT THIS POINT, WHEN HE'S GIVING A SECOND VERSION OF WHERE HE WAS
AT THE TIME OF HER ***, IT WAS VERY CONCERNING.
DARYL WAS RECALLING WHAT HE HAD DONE THE NIGHT BEFORE,
WHICH SHOULD BE VERY SIMPLE TO DO.
Narrator: WITH DARYL CHANGING HIS STORY,
POLICE GO ONE STEP FURTHER AND ASK HIM TO VOLUNTEER HIS DNA,
WHICH HE DOES WILLINGLY.
INVESTIGATOR WYNN HOPES
THAT DANIELLE'S SOMETIMES SUITOR, SHANE,
WILL BE JUST AS ACCOMMODATING,
BUT BEFORE HE CAN PICK UP THE PHONE TO DIAL UP SHANE,
A HOT NEW TIP COMES IN,
LEADING DETECTIVES IN A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT DIRECTION.
A SUBJECT BY THE NAME OF MITCH CARSON
HAD CONTACTED CRIME STOPPERS IN SAVANNAH
AND STATED THAT HE HAD INFORMATION
REGARDING THE DEATH OF DANIELLE DAVIS.
CARSON STATED THAT DANIELLE HAD CONTACTED HIM BY PHONE
AND STATED THAT SHE WAS HAVING TROUBLE WITH AN UNKNOWN MALE.
Narrator: DID DANIELLE'S MAN TROUBLE
FOLLOW HER BACK TO STATESBORO THE NIGHT SHE WAS MURDERED,
OR WAS SHE CAUGHT OFF GUARD BY A COMPLETE STRANGER?
[ GASPS ]
Narrator: NORMALLY IN DECEMBER,
THE RESIDENTS OF STATESBORO, GEORGIA,
ARE JUST COUNTING DOWN THE DAYS TILL CHRISTMAS.
BUT IN THE WINTER OF 2009,
ALL ANYONE CAN DO IS TALLY THE TIME THAT GOES BY
WITH NO ANSWER TO THE QUESTION ON EVERYONE'S LIPS --
WHO KILLED DANIELLE DAVIS?
Bragg: CERTAINLY, THE STATESBORO COMMUNITY WANTED ANSWERS,
AS WELL AS AN ARREST.
THEY WANTED TO KNOW THAT THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE
FOR THIS BIZARRE *** WAS BEHIND BARS.
THEIR PARENTS WOULD CALL THE NEWSPAPER,
ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW SAFE THEIR CHILD WAS.
PEOPLE WERE SCARED.
Narrator: ON THE MORNING OF DECEMBER 14th, SEVEN DAYS AFTER SHE WAS KILLED,
DANIELLE IS LAID TO REST IN HER HOMETOWN OF McDONOUGH, GEORGIA.
AT HER VIEWING, I DECIDED I WAS GONNA HAVE A CLOSED CASKET,
JUST BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT THEM TO SEE HER LOOKING DIFFERENT
THAN HER NORMAL, RADIANT, YOU KNOW, HAPPY SELF.
I DIDN'T PAY ATTENTION TO HOW CROWDED IT WAS,
BUT I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS STANDING ROOM ONLY,
THAT IT WAS -- THE CHURCH WAS FULL.
IT TOUCHED ALL OF US IN THE FAMILY
THAT MOST OF THE PEOPLE THERE WERE YOUNG PEOPLE --
HER FRIENDS AND ASSOCIATES AND PEOPLE SHE KNEW.
Narrator: FOR DETECTIVES BACK IN STATESBORO,
THE PLAN IS TO BRING DOWN THE BAD GUY NO MATTER WHAT.
SO WHEN A PROMISING LEAD COMES IN,
INVESTIGATORS THINK THIS MAY BE THE BREAK THEY'RE WAITING FOR.
Jarriel: THERE WAS A TIP THAT CAME IN FROM THIS GUY
WHO INDICATED THAT HE HAD INFORMATION
ABOUT THE DANIELLE DAVIS CASE.
SO, THAT WAS SOMETHING
THAT THE POLICE DEFINITELY WANTED TO LOOK INTO AND EXPLORE.
Narrator: TURNS OUT A TIPSTER NAMED MITCH CARSON
JUST MIGHT HAVE SOME INSIDE INFO THAT BREAKS THIS CASE WIDE OPEN.
MITCH SAYS HE SPOKE WITH DANIELLE JUST DAYS
BEFORE SHE WAS MURDERED, AND DURING THAT CALL,
SHE SHARED SOME UNSETTLING NEWS.
THAT DANIELLE HAD BEEN IN SAVANNAH RECENTLY
AND HAD HAD SOME TROUBLE WITH -- WITH A MALE.
Narrator: COULD THE MAN IN QUESTION BE DANIELLE'S VERY OWN SHANE,
WHO JUST HAPPENS TO LIVE IN SAVANNAH?
AFTER ALL, THE COUPLE SOMETIMES HUNG OUT AT SHANE'S PLACE.
OR IS A SNEAKY STRANGER TO BLAME?
IT COULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE THAT THIS UNKNOWN MALE
HAD FOLLOWED HER FROM SAVANNAH AND COMMITTED THIS ***.
Narrator: AFTER MITCH TIPS OFF SAVANNAH'S BOYS IN BLUE,
THEY IMMEDIATELY CONTACT THE STATESBORO POLICE DEPARTMENT
WITH THE POTENTIAL LEAD.
THAT PIECE OF INFORMATION WAS SOMETHING THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT
JUMPED ON VERY QUICKLY.
Wynn: THIS SEEMED, AT THE TIME,
TO BE A POTENTIAL GOOD LEAD IN THE CASE.
Narrator: WHEN INVESTIGATORS SIT DOWN TO TALK WITH MITCH,
THE INTERVIEW IMMEDIATELY TAKES AN UNEXPECTED TURN.
INSTEAD OF JUST CALLING DANIELLE BY HER EVERYDAY NAME,
HE REFERS TO HER FULL NAME -- BRANDIE DANIELLE DAVIS.
EITHER HE'S ONE FORMAL GUY
OR HE'S TALKING ABOUT SOMEONE ELSE ALTOGETHER.
MITCH CARSON GAVE SOME -- MORE INFORMATION
ABOUT THE DANIELLE DAVIS THAT HE KNEW,
AND IT BECAME APPARENT TO THE OFFICER THAT WAS SPEAKING TO HIM
THAT WE WEREN'T TALKING ABOUT THE SAME DANIELLE DAVIS.
Narrator: TO MAKE SURE, DETECTIVES ASK MITCH TO PUT A NAME TO THE FACE.
Wynn: WHEN MR. CARSON WAS SHOWN A PHOTOGRAPH
OF THE VICTIM IN -- IN THIS CASE,
HE STATED THAT THAT, IN FACT,
WAS NOT THE DANIELLE DAVIS THAT HE WAS REFERRING TO.
Narrator: SURE SEEMS LIKE A CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY.
MITCH TELLS POLICE THAT THE NEWSPAPER ARTICLE HE READ
ABOUT THE MURDERED WOMAN DIDN'T INCLUDE A PHOTO.
HE NOW REALIZES HE JUMPED THE GUN,
ASSUMING IT WAS HIS TROUBLED PAL, BRANDIE DANIELLE.
IT WAS A DIFFERENT DANIELLE DAVIS,
BUT SAME NAME, SAME SPELLING, SO WE REALIZED
THAT THE INFORMATION DID NOT PERTAIN TO OUR CASE.
Narrator: POLICE ARE FLUMMOXED BY THE SNAFU,
BUT THE INVESTIGATORS' FRUSTRATION DOESN'T COMPARE
WITH THE DESPAIR DANIELLE'S FAMILY FEELS.
Brown: I HAD TO HAVE JUSTICE FOR DANIELLE.
[ Voice breaking ] IT WAS THE NUMBER-ONE PRIORITY.
I WAS MAD [SNIFFLES]
BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY REALLY TERRIBLE PEOPLE OUT THERE
WHO CAUSE OTHER PEOPLE PAIN ALL THE TIME
AND THEY LIVE TO BE 100
AND MY GRANDCHILD TURNS 19 AND IS MURDERED.
Narrator: WHILE IN SAVANNAH, DETECTIVES MAKE A SURPRISE VISIT
TO DANIELLE'S FRIEND SHANE,
HOPING HE'S HAD A CHANGE OF HEART
ABOUT SPEAKING WITH THEM FACE-TO-FACE.
HOWEVER, SHANE'S ATTORNEY OFFERS UP ANOTHER OPTION.
SHANE'S ATTORNEY PROVIDED A STATEMENT FROM SHANE
THAT DETAILED HIS INVOLVEMENT AND HIS WHEREABOUTS
AND HIS CONTACT, BOTH PHONE AND OTHERWISE,
WITH DANIELLE ON THE DAY THAT SHE WAS MURDERED.
Narrator: WHICH PROMPTS INVESTIGATORS TO TAKE A LOOK
AT DANIELLE'S PHONE RECORDS ALREADY IN THEIR POSSESSION,
AND THEY CORROBORATE SHANE'S ACCOUNT OF THAT MONDAY NIGHT,
INCLUDING THE LONG-DISTANCE GOOD-NIGHT CALL FROM HIS GIRL.
Jarriel: THEY WERE ABLE TO TAKE THE DETAILS IN HIS STATEMENT.
HE GAVE VERY SPECIFIC DETAILS
ABOUT WHAT TIME HE RECEIVED THE CALL FROM DANIELLE,
WHAT TIME THEY GOT OFF THE PHONE,
ALL THE EFFORTS HE MADE
TO CALL HER BACK AND TEXT HER TO SEE IF SHE WAS OKAY,
BECAUSE DANIELLE INDICATED THAT SHE WOULD CALL HIM BACK
AFTER SHE ANSWERED THE DOOR.
Narrator: THANKS TO DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT WHERE CALLS ORIGINATED,
DETECTIVES NOW KNOW SHANE WAS SQUARELY IN SAVANNAH
AT THE TIME OF DANIELLE'S ***.
Jarriel: POLICE DETERMINED THAT HE WAS STILL AT HOME
WHEN SHE WAS KILLED.
Narrator: SHANE MAY BE IN THE CLEAR,
BUT SOMEONE ELSE IS IN SERIOUS TROUBLE.
DANIELLE'S BEAU STILL INSISTS
THAT SOMEONE SHOWED UP AT THE DOOR
WHILE HE WAS ON THE PHONE WITH DANIELLE.
SHANE INDICATED THAT DANIELLE SAID, "ABBY'S BEHIND THE DOOR.
LET ME GET OFF THE PHONE. I'LL CALL YOU BACK."
TURNED OUT ABBY WASN'T ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DOOR.
Narrator: BUT INVESTIGATORS ALREADY KNOW IT WASN'T ABBY, SO WHO WAS IT?
A WELCOME VISITOR OR SOMEONE WITH EVIL INTENTIONS?
IT APPEARED THAT DANIELLE HAD NOT TOLD SHANE THE TRUTH
ABOUT WHO WAS STANDING BEHIND THE DOOR,
AND IF THAT WAS THE CASE, WHY -- WHY NOT?
Narrator: A CLOSER LOOK AT DANIELLE'S PHONE LOG
REVEALS A SHOCKING SURPRISE.
Narrator: NEARLY TWO WEEKS AFTER 19-YEAR-OLD COLLEGE FRESHMAN
DANIELLE DAVIS IS BRUTALLY MURDERED
IN HER STATESBORO, GEORGIA, APARTMENT,
INVESTIGATORS BELIEVE HER KILLER'S NUMBER
MAY FINALLY BE UP.
TURNS OUT SHE CALLED SOMEONE ELSE
AFTER SHE SAID A HASTY "GOODBYE" TO SHANE.
I MEAN, THAT WAS SUPER SHOCKING.
IT WAS -- IT WAS KIND OF LIKE AN "AHA" MOMENT,
LIKE, "YEAH, THIS ALL MAKES -- ALL MAKES SENSE."
Narrator: ON THE OTHER END OF THE LINE?
SOMEONE DANIELLE KNOWS QUITE WELL --
ONE OF THE THREE YOUNG MEN
WHO WERE AT HER APARTMENT THAT AWFUL NIGHT.
Wynn: DANIELLE DAVIS HAD DIALED DARYL PRIESTLEY
TWICE BEFORE HER DEATH,
POTENTIALLY MINUTES BEFORE HER DEATH.
IT WAS A HUGE BREAKTHROUGH IN THE INVESTIGATION.
Narrator: WHY DID DANIELLE DIAL DARYL WHEN HE JUST LEFT HER PLACE
WITH BUDDIES JARED AND KURT A HALF HOUR EARLIER?
WE WANTED TO KNOW, "WHAT WAS THAT CALL ALL ABOUT?"
AT THE TIME, ALL WE KNEW WAS, SHE CALLED HIS PHONE,
IT DIDN'T LAST VERY LONG, IT WAS JUST 10 OR SO SECONDS.
SO WE WANTED TO KNOW, "WHAT DID THEY HAVE TO TALK ABOUT?"
Narrator: DETECTIVES WONDER IF HE'S THE ONE
WHO SHOWED UP AT HER DOOR JUST MINUTES LATER.
SURE IS ODD THAT DARYL DIDN'T MENTION THE CALL
WHEN POLICE FIRST QUESTIONED HIM THAT FATEFUL NIGHT.
HE DID ADMIT TO BEING AT THE APARTMENT WITH HIS PALS,
BUT THAT'S IT.
Jarriel: HIS INITIAL STORY TO LAW ENFORCEMENT WAS,
"I LEFT THE APARTMENT WITH JARED AND KURT,
AND AFTER THAT, I HAD NO OTHER CONTACT WITH DANIELLE."
THE PHONE RECORDS, OF COURSE, TOLD A DIFFERENT STORY.
Narrator: THE LIES ARE PILING UP FOR DISHONEST DARYL.
FIRST, HE FABRICATED AN ALIBI ABOUT STUDYING AT THE LIBRARY
AFTER LEAVING DANIELLE'S APARTMENT, AND NOW THIS.
HE HAD CHANGED HIS STATEMENT ONCE,
HE HAD, OBVIOUSLY, NOT REVEALED THE FACT
THAT DANIELLE HAD CALLED HIS PHONE,
AND THERE WERE SOME REAL CONCERNS.
Narrator: SO INVESTIGATOR WYNN WASTES NO TIME HIGH-TAILING IT
TO McDONOUGH, GEORGIA, WHERE DARYL'S ON HIS HOLIDAY BREAK.
DARYL READILY OBLIGES THE DEPUTIES
WHEN THEY ESCORT HIM DOWNTOWN FOR QUESTIONING.
INVESTIGATORS DON'T GET FAR WITH THEIR TOP SUSPECT,
WHO'S CLEARLY TRYING TO HIDE HIS TRUE COLORS.
Wynn: DARYL CAME IN, AND THERE WAS LITTLE TO NO EMOTION,
JUST NEVER REALLY SEEMED OVERLY NERVOUS.
Narrator: BUTTONED-UP DARYL BEGINS TO CRACK
WHEN INVESTIGATORS SURPRISE HIM
WITH SOMETHING HE DOESN'T EXPECT.
THEY IMMEDIATELY CONFRONTED HIM WITH THE PHONE RECORDS
AND THE FACT THAT THEY KNEW THAT DANIELLE HAD CALLED HIS PHONE.
AND HE HAD AN ANSWER FOR THAT.
HIS ANSWER, AT THAT POINT, WAS, "WELL, I FORGOT MY PHONE."
Narrator: CONVENIENTLY, DARYL CLAIMS HE LEFT HIS CELLPHONE
AT DANIELLE'S AND KNOCKED ON HER DOOR,
HOPING TO RETRIEVE IT AROUND 11:00,
WHICH ANSWERS ONE MAJOR QUESTION.
Jarriel: DARYL PRIESTLEY WAS THE PERSON KNOCKING ON DANIELLE'S DOOR
WHEN SHE WAS ON THE PHONE WITH SHANE.
MAYBE SHE DIDN'T WANT TO TELL SHANE
THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS OTHER GUY WAS COMING TO VISIT HER.
Narrator: AND THEN DARYL TELLS INVESTIGATORS
THAT WHEN DANIELLE LETS HIM IN,
THEY START SEARCHING FOR HIS PHONE.
Jarriel: DARYL SAID THAT HE ASKED DANIELLE TO CALL HIS PHONE,
SO DANIELLE CALLED HIS PHONE,
AND THEY FOUND IT BETWEEN THE SEAT CUSHIONS ON THE COUCH.
Narrator: INVESTIGATORS SUSPECT DARYL MAY HAVE LEFT HIS PHONE ON PURPOSE.
I THINK DARYL WAS PHYSICALLY ATTRACTED TO DANIELLE.
I THINK THAT HE RETURNED TO HER APARTMENT
IN AN ATTEMPT TO ACT ON THAT PHYSICAL ATTRACTION.
Narrator: CORNERED BY THE EVIDENCE, DARYL STARTS TALKING.
HE SAYS IT ALL BEGAN WHEN HE AND DANIELLE
STARTED SOME HARMLESS ROUGHHOUSING.
DARYL'S STORY IN THAT INTERVIEW WAS THAT,
WHILE THEY'RE HORSEPLAYING, SHE TRIPS AND FALLS
AND THE PENCIL GETS LODGED IN HER THROAT
AND SHE'S GASPING FOR AIR
AND, BASICALLY, SHE DIED IN FRONT OF HIS EYES.
AND HE PANICKED AND DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO NEXT,
AND RATHER THAN CALL 911 OR CALL THE POLICE --
SO HE DECIDED TO BASICALLY STAGE THE CRIME SCENE.
Narrator: IT'S A COCKAMAMIE STORY, AND INVESTIGATORS ARE CERTAIN
THAT IT PLAYED OUT THE OTHER WAY AROUND --
DARYL KILLED DANIELLE...
[ GASPING ]
...THEN TRIED TO COVER HIS TRACKS AFTERWARDS
BY STAGING AN OUTLANDISH ACCIDENT.
Jarriel: THE PENCIL WAS A MYSTERY ALL THROUGHOUT THIS CASE.
THE MEDICAL EXAMINER ANSWERED THE QUESTION KIND OF EARLY ON
THAT IT WAS POSTMORTEM, BUT THAT CREATED MORE QUESTIONS,
BECAUSE IF IT WAS POSTMORTEM, THEN WHY DO THAT?
YOU'VE ALREADY MURDERED THIS PERSON IN A HORRIFIC WAY,
SO WHY ADD THAT ADDITIONAL INJURY?
Narrator: NOW THAT INVESTIGATORS KNOW THE REST OF THE STORY,
JUST TWO WEEKS AFTER DANIELLE'S DEMISE,
THEY CAN MAKE THEIR MOVE.
WE HAD ALL THE OTHER PHYSICAL EVIDENCE WE NEEDED AT THAT POINT
TO PROVE THAT SHE WAS STRANGLED.
SO, THAT WAS -- THAT WAS A HUGE BREAKING POINT.
Narrator: POLICE ARREST DARYL PRIESTLEY
ON DECEMBER 22, 2009,
AND HE'S CHARGED WITH FELONY *** IN DANIELLE'S DEATH.
DARYL KNOWS HE'S BACKED INTO A CORNER AND PLEADS GUILTY.
AND NO ONE'S MORE SHOCKED THAN DANIELLE'S FAMILY
TO HEAR HE WAS THE KILLER.
Garcia: WHEN I LEARNED DARYL PRIESTLEY WAS ALSO A STUDENT
AT UNION GROVE HIGH SCHOOL WITH DANIELLE
AND HAD KNOWN HER FOR YEARS, I WAS FLABBERGASTED.
I WOULD HAVE NEVER THOUGHT IN A MILLION YEARS
THAT SOMEONE FROM OUR OWN TOWN WOULD DO THIS TO HER.
Narrator: ON JANUARY 10, 2010, A YEAR AFTER DANIELLE'S DEATH,
DARYL PRIESTLEY IS SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON.
Garcia: IT PUTS TO REST MY HEART
BECAUSE I KNOW HE'S SERVING HIS TIME
AND HE'S THERE AND HE'S AWAY.
Brown: IT COMFORTS ME TO KNOW THAT DARYL'S IN A PLACE
THAT HE CAN'T *** ANOTHER PERSON.
DANIELLE IS FOREVER GONE FROM OUR LIVES,
AND...
IT HELPS TO KNOW THAT HE'LL NEVER KILL ANOTHER WOMAN.
Narrator: BASED ON THE EVIDENCE, THIS IS WHAT POLICE BELIEVE HAPPENED
THAT DARK DECEMBER EVENING.
AFTER DARYL SHOWS UP AT DANIELLE'S APARTMENT
AND THEY LOCATE HIS LOST CELLPHONE,
DARYL PUTS THE MOVES ON DANIELLE,
BUT SHE RESISTS, SENDING HIM INTO A FURY.
[ GRUNTING ]
Wynn: I THINK, ONCE IT GOT OUT OF HAND,
THAT THERE WAS OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF RAGE IN THAT ROOM.
Jarriel: I THINK HE SNAPPED, HE LOST IT --
COMPLETELY LOST CONTROL IN THAT MOMENT.
THE REAL PERSON THAT WAS LURKING BENEATH THE SURFACE
IS WHAT CAME OUT THAT NIGHT.
Narrator: DARYL PUMMELS THE TINY TEEN WITH HIS FISTS BEFORE STRANGLING HER,
THEN, WHEN SHE'S DEAD,
HE RAMS THE PENCIL INTO HER MOUTH
TO BACK UP HIS VERY CALCULATED STORY
THAT IT WAS ALL AN ACCIDENT.
INSTANTLY FULL OF REGRET,
HE TRIES TO HIDE WHAT HE DID BY BURYING DANIELLE.
Jarriel: HE TOOK SOME TIME TO REALLY THINK THROUGH,
"WHAT'S MY STORY GONNA BE DOWN THE ROAD?"
BECAUSE HE KNEW, AT SOME POINT,
HE WAS GONNA HAVE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED.
SO I THINK RAMMING THE PENCIL DOWN HER THROAT
AFTER HE MURDERED HER,
ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT HE WAS DOING --
TO GIVE HIMSELF A STORY THAT HE WOULD RETELL LATER.
Narrator: HOWEVER, JUSTICE RULES,
AND DARYL PRIESTLEY WILL SPEND THE REST OF HIS DAYS IN A CELL.
Bragg: AND I THINK THE COMMUNITY CONSIDERS THIS JUSTICE.
A YOUNG LADY'S LIFE WAS ENDED,
AND WHILE DARYL PRIESTLEY'S STILL ALIVE,
AT LEAST HE CANNOT BE OUT
TO POSSIBLY DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS AGAIN.
Narrator: THE FOLKS OF THE SMALL TOWN OF STATESBORO
WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER THE PRETTY STUDENT
WHO WAS THE LIFE OF THE PARTY,
AND HER MOM WILL NEVER FORGET HOW MANY LIVES DANIELLE TOUCHED.
EVERYONE HAS A PURPOSE IN THEIR LIFE,
AND I BELIEVE THAT DANIELLE'S WAS TO --
TO MAKE AN IMPACT ON HER FRIENDS' LIVES.
AND I THINK THAT IN HER PASSING,
SHE AFFECTED SO MANY MORE OTHER PEOPLE
THAN JUST HER -- HERSELF AND HER FAMILY AND HER FRIENDS.