Bruce Alan Davis

Serial Killer

Bruce Alan Davis

Early Life and Background

Bruce Alan Davis was born on September 3, 1948, in Toledo, Ohio. His family later moved to rural Fayette County, West Virginia, where he spent much of his childhood. As a young man, Davis developed an intense interest in music and hoped to become a professional singer. He eventually left West Virginia for New York City and settled in Manhattan, where he attempted to establish himself in the entertainment business. Although his ambitions as a singer were unsuccessful, he later completed his high-school education through night school in 1968. Davis drifted between cities and jobs during the late 1960s and early 1970s. He survived through temporary employment, low-paying work and, at times, theft. His movements during these years later became important to investigators because they placed him in or near several cities where he claimed to have committed murders. After his final arrest, Davis described a period of violence that he said had taken him across much of the United States.

The Beginning of the Known Crimes

Although Davis eventually claimed that his killing began as early as 1969, the majority of those claims were never conclusively established. One of the earliest publicly identified deaths later connected to him was the May 1970 killing of New York City voice teacher Eric Tcherkezian. Tcherkezian, 27, was found strangled with a belt in his room at the Ansonia in Manhattan. Davis was never prosecuted for Tcherkezian's death, but New York investigators later said that Davis supplied information about the killing that had not been publicly released. Davis's first firmly documented murder conviction involved Reverend Carlo Barlassina, a Roman Catholic Barnabite priest. Barlassina was traveling across the country in June 1971 and stopped for a day at Chicago's Sherman Hotel. On June 29, 1971, he was found strangled in his hotel room. He had been robbed of money and checks reportedly totaling about $1,000. Barlassina was traveling toward San Diego, California, where he was to begin a new church assignment. Evidence connecting Davis with Barlassina emerged after Davis came to the attention of authorities in connection with another killing. Property belonging to the priest was reportedly traced to places where Davis had stayed. Illinois authorities eventually prosecuted Davis for Barlassina's murder. In December 1972, Davis was convicted after pleading guilty and received a lengthy prison sentence. ...

Confirmed Victims: (3)

James Earl Hammer , Date of Death: 1972-02

Suspected Victims:

Eric Tcherkezian Age: (27), Date of Death: 1970-05

Bruce Alan Davis - Wikipedia