Girvies L. Davis

Serial Killer

Girvies L. Davis - The .22 Caliber Killers

Early Life and Background

Girvies L. Davis was born on January 20, 1958, in East St. Louis, Illinois. He grew up in a large family under impoverished circumstances and received very little formal education. Accounts from people who knew him as a child described him as withdrawn and struggling academically. By adulthood, Davis had accumulated a reputation with local police for theft and dealing in stolen property. During the late 1970s, Davis became closely associated with Richard "Ricky" Holman, a teenager from East St. Louis. Holman was only 17 during much of the murder series. Together, the men were implicated in a succession of burglaries, armed robberies, shootings, and murders in St. Clair and Madison Counties in southwestern Illinois. Because .22-caliber firearms appeared in several of the crimes, Davis and Holman became known as the ".22 Caliber Killers."

A Pattern of Robbery and Murder

The crimes attributed to Davis and Holman frequently began as robberies. Several victims were elderly people living alone in houses or mobile homes. Property such as televisions, firearms, radios, watches, and other household possessions was taken. Witnesses were sometimes shot even after apparently offering little or no resistance. Investigators eventually connected Davis and Holman to a much larger series of robberies and shootings than the murders for which they were actually prosecuted. Authorities said the overall crime spree involved approximately ten robberies, nine deaths, and seven wounded victims. Davis was ultimately convicted of four murders: those of Charles Biebel, John Oertel, Esther Sepmeyer, and Frank Cash. The murder of Frieda Mueller was also attributed to Davis and Holman and was introduced as evidence in Davis's prosecution, although neither man was tried specifically for her death. ...

Confirmed Victims: (5)

Frieda Mueller Age: (78), Date of Death: 1978-12-8

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