Richard T. Davis
Encyclopedia
Specialist
Richard T. Davis (March 14, 1978 – July 15, 2003) was an Infantryman
in the United States Army
. The son of two US Army veterans, Lanny and Remy Davis, he was born on an Army base in Germany. Davis enlisted in the Army in 1998 and served in Operation Joint Forge in Bosnia and later in the Iraq War, where he and his comrades participated in the April 11, 2003, "Midtown Massacre," a five-hour firefight in downtown Baghdad
. On July 15, 2003, less than two days after returning from deployment to Iraq, Davis was murdered outside Fort Benning
, Georgia by fellow soldiers from Baker Company.
Initially, the Army concluded that Davis deserted
and despite pleas from Davis' father, would not initiate an investigation into his son's disappearance for nearly two months. Davis' remains were not found until November 2003. He had been stabbed in the head, neck, and chest at least thirty-three times. His body was later dismembered, doused in lighter fluid, and burned. Unnamed sources have suggested that Davis was killed because he had planned to make a complaint about a rape of an Iraqi woman by US troops.
On February 17, 2004, Mario Navarette, Alberto Martinez, Jacob Burgoyne, and Douglas Woodcoff were indicted by Georgia authorities for the murder. Burgoyne pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Woodcoff pled guilty to concealing the death of another and was sentenced to probation. At trial, Navarette was convicted of felony murder while in the commission of an aggravated assault, aggravated assault, possession of a knife during the commission of a crime, and concealing the death of another. Martinez was convicted of the same charges and malice murder. Navarette and Martinez were both sentenced to life plus fifteen years in prison.
The story of Davis's murder garnered national attention because he was killed by fellow soldiers and because of the possible role of post traumatic stress disorder as a factor in the crime. Davis's murder was the inspiration for the 2007 Academy Award-nominated film, In the Valley of Elah
.
Specialist (rank)
Specialist is one of the four junior enlisted ranks in the U.S. Army, just above Private First Class and equivalent in pay grade to Corporal. Unlike Corporals, Specialists are not considered junior non-commissioned officers...
Richard T. Davis (March 14, 1978 – July 15, 2003) was an Infantryman
Infantry Branch (United States)
The Infantry Branch is a branch of the United States Army First established in 1775.-History:Ten companies of riflemen were authorized by a resolution of the Continental Congress on 14 June 1775...
in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. The son of two US Army veterans, Lanny and Remy Davis, he was born on an Army base in Germany. Davis enlisted in the Army in 1998 and served in Operation Joint Forge in Bosnia and later in the Iraq War, where he and his comrades participated in the April 11, 2003, "Midtown Massacre," a five-hour firefight in downtown Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
. On July 15, 2003, less than two days after returning from deployment to Iraq, Davis was murdered outside Fort Benning
Fort Benning
Fort Benning is a United States Army post located southeast of the city of Columbus in Muscogee and Chattahoochee counties in Georgia and Russell County, Alabama...
, Georgia by fellow soldiers from Baker Company.
Initially, the Army concluded that Davis deserted
Desertion
In military terminology, desertion is the abandonment of a "duty" or post without permission and is done with the intention of not returning...
and despite pleas from Davis' father, would not initiate an investigation into his son's disappearance for nearly two months. Davis' remains were not found until November 2003. He had been stabbed in the head, neck, and chest at least thirty-three times. His body was later dismembered, doused in lighter fluid, and burned. Unnamed sources have suggested that Davis was killed because he had planned to make a complaint about a rape of an Iraqi woman by US troops.
On February 17, 2004, Mario Navarette, Alberto Martinez, Jacob Burgoyne, and Douglas Woodcoff were indicted by Georgia authorities for the murder. Burgoyne pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Woodcoff pled guilty to concealing the death of another and was sentenced to probation. At trial, Navarette was convicted of felony murder while in the commission of an aggravated assault, aggravated assault, possession of a knife during the commission of a crime, and concealing the death of another. Martinez was convicted of the same charges and malice murder. Navarette and Martinez were both sentenced to life plus fifteen years in prison.
The story of Davis's murder garnered national attention because he was killed by fellow soldiers and because of the possible role of post traumatic stress disorder as a factor in the crime. Davis's murder was the inspiration for the 2007 Academy Award-nominated film, In the Valley of Elah
In the Valley of Elah
In the Valley of Elah is a 2007 film written and directed by Paul Haggis, starring Tommy Lee Jones, Charlize Theron, and Susan Sarandon. The film’s title refers to the Biblical valley where the battle between David and Goliath is said to have taken place....
.