Profile of Serial Killer Girvies L. Davis
Early Life and Background
Girvies L. Davis was born on January 20, 1958, in East St. Louis, Illinois. Growing up in a large family of eight children, Davis faced significant challenges, including poverty and limited educational opportunities. His fourth-grade teacher described him as a "poor pathetic boy who just sat there and said nothing." Davis dropped out of school in the fourth grade and was known to have intellectual limitations, being described as borderline mentally retarded and suffering from mental illness and alcoholism. Before the murders, Davis was known by the police as a small-time thief, a re-seller of stolen goods, and an alcoholic.
Criminal Activities and Murders
Between 1978 and 1979, Davis, often in collaboration with Richard "Ricky" Holman, committed a series of violent crimes in Illinois, primarily targeting elderly individuals during robberies. The duo was nicknamed "The .22 Caliber Killers" due to their use of .22 caliber firearms in the murders.
Victims
- Frieda Mueller: 78 years old; murdered on December 8, 1978, in her home off Route 163. She was shot, and items including a television set, billfold, and checkbook were stolen.
- Charles Biebel: 89 years old; murdered on December 22, 1978, in his mobile home near Belleville, Illinois. Biebel, who used a wheelchair, was shot, and items such as watches, a billfold, guns, and a television set were taken.
- John Oertel: 84 years old; murdered on May 12, 1979, in his trailer. Oertel was shot and stabbed during the robbery.
- Esther Sepmeyer: 83 years old; murdered on July 13, 1979, in her rural home off Route 162. She was shot execution-style while praying, and items including a lawnmower, a replica antique radio, a stereo, a color TV, and a .22-caliber semi-automatic rifle were stolen.
- Frank Cash: 21 years old; murdered on August 30, 1979, during a botched robbery at an auto parts store in East St. Louis. Cash was shot while pleading for his life.
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