In a heartbreaking turn of events, 19-year-old Leah Davis, a Black female, was killed on April 23, 2022, in her Milwaukee, Wisconsin apartment. The young woman's life was cut short in what was later revealed to be a tragic case of domestic violence.
The evening of her death, police were called to her apartment near 66th and Lisbon. Upon arrival, they were met by a man who identified himself as the one who had called 911. That man was 20-year-old Keshawn Rowsey.
He directed officers to Davis's apartment where they found her with multiple gunshot wounds. Despite life-saving efforts, she succumbed to her injuries. An autopsy would later reveal she had been shot eight times.
What initially appeared to be a concerned ex-boyfriend reporting a horrific crime soon unraveled into a much darker story. Investigators learned that Davis and Rowsey had been in a "rocky" relationship since the fall of 2020. Friends described Rowsey as possessive and overprotective. The couple had broken up just three weeks before the shooting, a decision Rowsey reportedly did not take well. Disturbingly, a friend of Davis told police that Rowsey had threatened to kill her in September 2021 and had even purchased a gun for that purpose.
On the day of the fatal shooting, neighbors reported hearing Rowsey knocking on Davis's door, demanding to be let in. After the knocking ceased, gunshots were heard. In a bizarre and ultimately incriminating series of events, Rowsey himself called 911. He also contacted a friend of Davis, claiming her apartment had been "shot up eight times" and that he "heard them shooting and ran." However, about ten minutes after the shooting, a neighbor overheard Rowsey in the hallway on the phone, crying and saying that someone had killed Davis. The most damning evidence came from a friend of Rowsey, who told police that Rowsey had called him and confessed to the shooting.
Keshawn Rowsey was arrested and charged with first-degree intentional homicide with domestic abuse assessments and the use of a dangerous weapon. He initially pleaded not guilty. However, in February 2023, a jury found him guilty. In March 2023, Keshawn Rowsey, then 21, was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Leah Davis. He will be eligible to petition for extended supervision after 35 years.
