On July 28, 1991, Margaret Davis, a 67-year-old white woman, and her husband, William Fred Davis, 68, were brutally murdered in their Rutherford County, North Carolina, home. The couple was attacked by Phillip Ingle, who entered their residence through an unlocked door, armed with an axe handle. Margaret Davis was in the kitchen when Ingle assaulted her, beating her to death. He then proceeded to the den, where William was watching television, and similarly attacked him, resulting in his death.
Initially, suspicion fell upon the Davises' 29-year-old son-in-law, Joey James Melton, due to familial tensions and his troubled history. However, as the investigation progressed, Melton was cleared of involvement. The case took a turn when Ingle committed another double homicide in August 1991, leading to his arrest. He confessed to all four murders, including those of Margaret and William Davis. Ingle was subsequently convicted and sentenced to death. He waived his appeals and was executed by lethal injection on September 22, 1995.
