Timothy Davlin
Encyclopedia
Timothy J. Davlin was the mayor of the U.S.
city of Springfield, Illinois
, from April 2003 until his suicide in December 2010. Though the Mayor's office is officially non-partisan, the Illinois capital has a strong tradition of partisanship, even for municipal races, and both major parties of Sangamon County endorse candidates. Davlin had the backing of the Democratic Party
.
and earned an Associate Arts Degree from Springfield College
and attended Sangamon State University (now known as the University of Illinois at Springfield
). Davlin worked for the Sangamon County
Sheriff
's Office as a non-merit Deputy from 1980-1982.
He started in the financial and insurance business in 1981 when he became a Registered Representative with AXA Advisor, LLC. He provided financial products and services to individuals and businesses. He sat on the board of directors of the Mid-West Truckers Association, Inc. and was a member of the Board of Directors of the Illinois Municipal League and the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce.
Davlin was a Past Grand Knight (four terms) and Past Trustee for the Knights of Columbus
Council #364. He was one of the youngest men inducted into the Knights of Columbus Diocesan Hall of Fame for exemplary service to the organization. He was a member of St. Agnes' Parish in Springfield, and served on various fundraising committees during the construction on the church and its school. He was a member of the Springfield Motor Boat Club and Illini Country Club. He was elected to a second term on April 19, 2007. However, the Republican
-endorsed candidates unexpectedly won nearly every seat on the Springfield City Council, in that same election. Terms for Springfield municipal officials run for four years.
filed a notice of a Federal Tax Lien against Davlin for non-payment of taxes for the years 2003, 2005 and 2006. The amount of unpaid taxes was $89,702.11 Davlin was also under scrutiny for actions as executor of his cousin's probate case.
, the only law enforcement agency in the area with which Davlin had no immediate connection. An autopsy was scheduled for Wednesday, December 15, 2010, to verify the cause of death, according to the State Police and the Sangamon County coroner's office. Springfield Ward 3 Alderman Frank Kunz, who is the mayor pro tempore
of the city of Springfield, was sworn into office the same day as the acting mayor of Springfield.
On December 28, 2010, Ward 1 Alderman Frank Edwards
was sworn in as mayor relieving Frank Kunz as mayor pro tempore. The Springfield Superintendent of Schools, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn
, Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White
, U.S. Senator and Majority Whip Dick Durbin, U.S. Representative Aaron Schock
, Illinois State Senator Larry Bomke
, and Bishop Thomas John Paprocki of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield in Illinois
all released statements of condolence upon hearing of Mayor Davlin's death.
On January 20, 2011, Sgt. Brad Sterling of the Illinois State Police testified during an inquest hearing that Timothy Davlin had died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Sangamon County Coroner's office ruled the death as a suicide. Toxicology reports were negative for alcohol or drugs. A bullet was fired from a six-shot revolver and traveled through Davlin's heart and into the seat of a Lincoln Navigator owned by Davlin. Items found in the passenger area of the Navigator included the revolver, a police radio, and a cordless home telephone. It is unknown if a suicide note was found, as Sterling declined to answer questions.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
city of Springfield, Illinois
Springfield, Illinois
Springfield is the third and current capital of the US state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County with a population of 117,400 , making it the sixth most populated city in the state and the second most populated Illinois city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area...
, from April 2003 until his suicide in December 2010. Though the Mayor's office is officially non-partisan, the Illinois capital has a strong tradition of partisanship, even for municipal races, and both major parties of Sangamon County endorse candidates. Davlin had the backing of the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
.
Background
Davlin was born on August 27, 1957 in Springfield, Illinois. He attended Springfield's Griffin High SchoolSacred Heart-Griffin High School
Sacred Heart-Griffin High School, often abbreviated SHG, is Springfield, Illinois' largest private high school. The school is Roman Catholic and is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. On the school's campus is a motherhouse for a Dominican order of religious...
and earned an Associate Arts Degree from Springfield College
Springfield College (Illinois)
Benedictine University at Springfield, formerly known as Springfield College in Illinois or Springfield College, is a progressive liberal arts university offering master-, bachelor- and associate-degree programs located in Springfield, IL. The school was founded in 1929 by the Ursuline Sisters and...
and attended Sangamon State University (now known as the University of Illinois at Springfield
University of Illinois at Springfield
The University of Illinois at Springfield is a public university in Springfield, Illinois. The University was established in 1969 as Sangamon State University by the Illinois General Assembly and became a part of the University of Illinois system on July 1, 1995.The University of Illinois at...
). Davlin worked for the Sangamon County
Sangamon County, Illinois
Sangamon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 197,465, which is an increase of 4.5% from 188,951 in 2000...
Sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
's Office as a non-merit Deputy from 1980-1982.
Davlin was a Past Grand Knight (four terms) and Past Trustee for the Knights of Columbus
Knights of Columbus
The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization. Founded in the United States in 1882, it is named in honor of Christopher Columbus....
Council #364. He was one of the youngest men inducted into the Knights of Columbus Diocesan Hall of Fame for exemplary service to the organization. He was a member of St. Agnes' Parish in Springfield, and served on various fundraising committees during the construction on the church and its school. He was a member of the Springfield Motor Boat Club and Illini Country Club. He was elected to a second term on April 19, 2007. However, the Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
-endorsed candidates unexpectedly won nearly every seat on the Springfield City Council, in that same election. Terms for Springfield municipal officials run for four years.
Controversies
In May, 2010 the Internal Revenue ServiceInternal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue...
filed a notice of a Federal Tax Lien against Davlin for non-payment of taxes for the years 2003, 2005 and 2006. The amount of unpaid taxes was $89,702.11 Davlin was also under scrutiny for actions as executor of his cousin's probate case.
Death
Davlin was found dead in his home on the morning of December 14, 2010 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest. He was 53 years old. He had been scheduled to appear in court that morning in reference to the estate of his late cousin. There were allegations that $187,000 from the cousin's estate, which was earmarked for Catholic Charities, had disappeared. The investigation of his death was turned over to the Illinois State PoliceIllinois State Police
The Illinois State Police is the state police force of Illinois. Officially established in 1922, the Illinois State Police have over 3,000 personnel and 21 districts. The main facilities of the Illinois State Police Academy, which were constructed in 1968, are located in Springfield. Prior to...
, the only law enforcement agency in the area with which Davlin had no immediate connection. An autopsy was scheduled for Wednesday, December 15, 2010, to verify the cause of death, according to the State Police and the Sangamon County coroner's office. Springfield Ward 3 Alderman Frank Kunz, who is the mayor pro tempore
Pro tempore
Pro tempore , abbreviated pro tem or p.t., is a Latin phrase which best translates to "for the time being" in English. This phrase is often used to describe a person who acts as a locum tenens in the absence of a superior, such as the President pro tempore of the United States Senate.Legislative...
of the city of Springfield, was sworn into office the same day as the acting mayor of Springfield.
On December 28, 2010, Ward 1 Alderman Frank Edwards
Frank Edwards (Illinois politician)
Frank Edwards , is the former Mayor of Springfield, Illinois, having been appointed by the Springfield City Council on December 28, 2010, to the vacancy caused by the death of Mayor Tim Davlin. He was succeeded by J. Michael Houston on April 29, 2011....
was sworn in as mayor relieving Frank Kunz as mayor pro tempore. The Springfield Superintendent of Schools, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn
Pat Quinn (politician)
Patrick Joseph "Pat" Quinn III is the 41st and current Governor of Illinois. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Previously elected three times to statewide office, Quinn was the sitting lieutenant governor and became governor on January 29, 2009, when the previous governor, Rod Blagojevich,...
, Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White
Jesse White (politician)
Jesse Clark White is a Democratic American politician. He is currently the 37th and second-longest serving Secretary of State of Illinois, after James A. Rose, and the first African American to hold this position....
, U.S. Senator and Majority Whip Dick Durbin, U.S. Representative Aaron Schock
Aaron Schock
Aaron Schock is the United States Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district is based in Peoria and includes part of Springfield. At the age of , Schock is currently the youngest U.S. representative and the first member of the U.S. Congress born...
, Illinois State Senator Larry Bomke
Larry Bomke
Larry Bomke is a Republican member of the Illinois Senate, representing the 50th district since 1995.Bomke considers his major accomplishments to be the improvement of fairness within the state pension system, fighting for Rule of 85 which allows state employees to retire before age 65...
, and Bishop Thomas John Paprocki of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield in Illinois
Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield in Illinois
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield in Illinois is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the south central Illinois region of the United States...
all released statements of condolence upon hearing of Mayor Davlin's death.
On January 20, 2011, Sgt. Brad Sterling of the Illinois State Police testified during an inquest hearing that Timothy Davlin had died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Sangamon County Coroner's office ruled the death as a suicide. Toxicology reports were negative for alcohol or drugs. A bullet was fired from a six-shot revolver and traveled through Davlin's heart and into the seat of a Lincoln Navigator owned by Davlin. Items found in the passenger area of the Navigator included the revolver, a police radio, and a cordless home telephone. It is unknown if a suicide note was found, as Sterling declined to answer questions.