In the quiet early morning hours of December 2, 2021, the life of 43-year-old Latoya Gary was brought to a violent and tragic end in her Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, apartment. The woman, a mother and grandmother, was shot in the head at point-blank range as she slept, the culmination of a domestic argument with her boyfriend of five years, David Savage.
The events that unfolded after the fatal shooting spiraled into a public display of violence. After killing Gary, Savage, then 45, left their shared apartment and engaged in a gunfight with police outside the bustling 69th Street SEPTA Terminal. During this exchange, he also fired at two passersby. The chaos concluded with Savage's arrest.
In the aftermath, Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer described the murder as a 'brutal, brutal execution' and a 'senseless act of domestic violence.' Savage, who had a criminal history that prohibited him from legally owning a firearm, was charged with murder, attempted murder, and assault on a law enforcement officer.
During his court proceedings, Savage expressed remorse, stating he was 'not in the right state of mind' and under the influence of drugs at the time of the killing. He claimed to have no desire to be alive and had attempted suicide while awaiting trial. In January 2024, David Savage pleaded guilty to third-degree murder for the death of Latoya Gary. He was sentenced to 32.5 to 50 years in state prison for a chain of events that began with a domestic dispute and ended in a life tragically cut short.
