ROANOKE, Va. – Update:
The Grand Jury indicted 34-year-old Kurt Davis on first-degree murder charges in Court Monday, according to records.
Davis was initially facing a second-degree murder charge.
Update:
More details on the Wednesday morning murder in South Roanoke have emerged in new search warrants and court records Friday.
According to search warrants obtained by 10 News Roanoke Police responded to “The Fairfax” apartment complex located in the 2100 block of Yellow Mountain Road for reports of a female heard screaming.
Additional information was relayed to officers that a witness observed a male wearing a long black coat standing over top of the female with a shovel.
When officers arrived, they located an adult female on the ground on the southeast corner of the complex, she had extensive head trauma and she was pronounced dead at the scene. According to the search warrant officers found a shovel with what appeared to be blood on it lying on the ground adjacent to the victim.
While officers canvassed the scene they located an adult white male who matched the clothing and description provided by the witness. The officers found blood on the man’s hands and clothing, he was detained by officers and transported to the Roanoke Police Department.
The officers were able to seize the following items under the authority of the search warrant: Glasses, a key, swabs and a shovel.
The investigation remains ongoing and 10 News will continue to update this story as information becomes available.
Original Story:
New details have emerged about the suspect accused of brutally murdering a woman in South Roanoke on Wednesday.
10 News got a copy of the criminal complaint, which describes the gruesome attack. We do want to warn you, some may find the details disturbing.
Police say they responded to the scene and found Williams with severe injuries to her face. Investigators then found Davis near the scene with blood on him. The criminal complaint details that Davis told investigators he killed Williams to “keep the peace by striking her in the head several times with a rock.”
Davis was arraigned by video in a Roanoke city courtroom Thursday morning for the alleged murder. The judge spoke to Davis directly, informing him of the felony charge against him.
“On or about February 19, you killed and murdered a Susan Williams in the second degree. That’s a charge that carries a mandatory jail sentence,” said the judge.
10 News has also learned more about Davis’ criminal history.
He was sentenced to two years in prison for burglary and two years in prison for arson back in 2018. You may remember, Davis was infamously convicted after pleading guilty to breaking into the Little Caesars on Brandon Avenue, setting pizza boxes on fire which burned the building significantly.
Davis has also been charged with intoxication in public three times since 2023. Davis was found guilty of the first two incidents and had to pay fines. In the most recent incident from November 2024, the Commonwealth’s Attorney decided not to prosecute.
Davis is being held in jail until his next court hearing on March 19 at 9 a.m.
Williams would have turned 81 years old this Saturday.
