Don Davis was sentenced to death for the 1990 execution-style killing of Jane Daniels of Rogers, Arkansas.
Committing a series of burglaries, Don William Davis broke into the Rogers home of Jane Martha Daniel, 62, on Oct. 12, 1990. Using a .44 caliber Magnum revolver he had stolen earlier, he shot her once in the head in a storeroom in her house.
Richard Daniel found his wife dead in the basement when he returned home that night from a business trip. Davis was arrested in New Mexico after his roommates went to the police with their suspicions about his involvement. Most of the stolen objects were recovered and traced back to Davis.
A jury convicted Davis of capital murder March 6, 1992. Davis had a previous execution date set in November 1999.
According to CNN, Davis’ last meal was ‘fried chicken, rolls, great northern beans, mashed potatoes and strawberry cake.’
On Monday, the Arkansas Supreme Court halted the executions of two men originally scheduled to be put to death.
Governor Asa Hutchinson issued a response to the decisions handed down by the Arkansas Supreme Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit:
“Once again last minute court rulings have changed the course of justice. Today, the 8th Circuit ruled the state could proceed with the death penalty sentence and expressed no concern over the execution schedule and the legislatively mandated means to carry out the lethal injection protocol. However, the State Supreme Court went a different direction and ruled that the execution of Don Davis and Bruce Ward could not proceed based upon the potential of some future direction of the U.S. Supreme Court that is unknown at the present time.
“This decision was not unanimous and the dissenting opinions reflect the harm the delays cause the families of the victims and it also expresses my frustration in the continued delayed justice. We have asked the US Supreme Court to overrule the Arkansas Supreme Court and hope to get a decision later tonight.”
