US News
Indiana woman acquitted of murder after police cite guard dog for incomplete search
Alison Davis was acquitted by a jury 17 months after being charged in her husband's death, while police suggest a dog prevented them from finding a weapon.
The short version
- Alison Davis was acquitted of murder by an Indiana jury after spending 17 months in jail following the August 2023 death of her husband, Kevin Davis.
- Police initially treated the incident as a fatal fall down stairs but later charged Davis, alleging she beat her husband with an unrecovered improvised weapon.
- The lead detective stated he was unable to search an upstairs room due to an aggressive guard dog, leading him to speculate that a weapon may have been hidden there.
Key facts
- On August 12, 2023, Kevin Davis sustained severe head injuries at his home in New Haven, Indiana, and later died.[CBS News]
- Alison Davis told authorities her husband fell down the stairs after an argument, while police later alleged she beat him to death.[CBS News]
- Detective James Krueger did not enter an upstairs bedroom on the day of the incident after encountering a growling pit bull mix.[CBS News]
- Alison Davis was charged with murder four months after her husband's death and served 17 months in jail before her trial.[CBS News]
- A jury found Alison Davis not guilty after six hours of deliberation.[CBS News]
What remains uncertain
- Police Chief James Krueger speculated that a murder weapon was intentionally hidden in the dog's room, but acknowledged there is no physical evidence supporting that theory.[CBS News]
Sources
- Was a police search for a murder weapon cut short by a guard dog's growl?CBS News - Top Stories