Victim of Love: The Shannon Mohr Story | FULL MOVIE | True Crime Story

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[ominous music] Our daughter, Shannon, was on the rebound from a broken engagement. Anyway, about a week later, she was invited to a friend's wedding. And she didn't want to go. I encouraged her to go. Well, we-- we both did. We thought that she should get out. Might meet somebody nice. She met Dave. We know now that he went to that reception with just one thing in mind, to find someone to marry and then to murder. [jazz music] [chatter] She's a party animal. Definitely not your type. Michael! You did it, man. You actually showed up, said the words. Dave, I was so nervous standing up there waiting for Jackie, that I could actually feel my legs shaking. But when I saw her coming down the aisle-- is she beautiful or what? I just hope I can find someone as nice as your family. MICHAEL: Oh. Um, who's Jackie talking to? A friend of hers. All I can tell you is she just got through with a seriously disastrous relationship. She got all teary-eyed when she saw Jackie in her wedding dress. DAVE DAVIS: What's her name? I'm drawing a blank. Oh. But she's a nurse at Jackie's hospital. Why don't you go back to your bride. Entertain your guests. I'll mingle. OK. Want to get married? [chuckles] Yeah, right. Why not? The minister's already here. I've been watching him. He's had a couple of drinks. We might be able to get a discount. Well, don't you think we should get to know each other first? DAVE DAVIS: I think that's a little old-fashioned, don't you? Hm, I'm an old-fashioned kind of girl. Then you want some champagne. Waiter. Hi, I'm Dave. Dave Davis. Well, that's easy to remember. Well, even when I'm drinking, I hardly ever forget who I am. Who are you? Shannon Mohr. The Shannon Mohr? From Toledo? (CHUCKLING) Oh! You've been doing your research, Mr. Dave Davis. Never underestimate how far a little information will get you. Maybe you've gone as far as you're going. Well, uh, I'd like to think we just getting started. Oh, I see. So start by telling me about you. [scoffs] My story is too long a story. I'd much rather talk about you. Oh, isn't there a short version? Short version. Well, first thing I remember is being in an orphanage in Texas with a bunch of French nuns, can you believe it? Not really. It's the truth, actually. Then I went to play football with Bo Schembechler at the University of Michigan. I actually went to the Rose Bowl. I'll buy that. A couple of tours. Vietnam. What do you do now? I'm just a rich old farmer. At least nobody shot at me, lately. My god, you were shot? Not just once. What happened? That's the long version. Come on, let's dance. [sultry music] Hi, Mrs. Lovetts. Hi That's a new robe, isn't it? Yeah, my daughter from Tulsa gave it to me. She's the legal secretary, right? She's she used to want to be a lawyer. Now she hates them. You keep exercising. That's the key to getting out of here. Thank you, dear. I need a kiss from a beautiful woman. And I'm prepared to do anything to get one. Anything? Mm! That was easy. [clears throat] Jackie. (CHUCKLING) Oh! I have one more patient to look in on before we can go. I'll take care of it. Are you sure? I'm a newlywed. I know about love. You go on. It's Mr. Chapman in 107. He needs his Ibgard 30 minutes before his meal. Sure. Thank you. Ibgard, isopropamide, the guy's got a colon or a bladder kicking up that needs calming down. What? Were you a doctor in a previous life, too? Thought about it for a while. I studied psychopharmacology, University of Michigan. Yeah, football-playing pharmacist, that would have been a good one. What are you doing? [gentle music] Does that answer your question? [gentle music] No, we'll get caught. You heard what Jackie said. Now it's your turn. [kissing sounds] Hold on. Dave, I can't do this. You have to take chances. Did that the day I met you. [gentle music] Shannon, you're just glowing. I don't think I've seen you like this since you and Rich. Actually, I don't think I've ever seen you like this before. Mom, that's because Dave is fantastic. He's so different. I'm so happy for you, honey. You and dad like him, don't you? Oh, yes, we think Dave is just great. And we think the two of you are a great couple. You know, I don't know what it is about him. He's-- he's fun and exciting. And when I'm with him, everything is more-- more whatever it is in the first place. Do you love him? Yeah. I think I do, Mom. I think you do, too. I mean, he's lived a life. You know, he's-- he's so much more mature and together than the guys I've been going out with. Can I tell you something else? Of course. Well, not that it matters because I would love him anyway, but he's rich, too. [laughs] Listen, you let this one get away and you're nuts. Don't worry, Mom. I won't. Oh. [door bell] Oh, he's here. Hey, come on in. Thanks. Girls are in the kitchen. How's the farm? Well, it's that time of the year. It's real busy. 300 acres, 320, but who's counting. [laughs] Oh, carnations. They are beautiful. I told him if he keeps this up, I'm going to have to start buying flowers for your mother. She deserves them. Hi, Mrs. Moore. Cille, you know me well enough now to call me Cille, just like everybody else does. Here, let me take these. I'll put them in a vase. And you all go in sit down. All right. OK. Here we go. Oh, honey, this is delicious. I love this pie. And here's yours, darling. Thank you. Ah, Shannon and I have something to tell you. Well, tell away. I love your daughter. I guess you already know that. But the farm has a lot of work for one man and with the crops about to come in, it's getting harder and harder to get into Toledo. It just seems the sensible thing for us to do is to get married. You knew. Daddy, we know it's the right thing. Honey, you just met not more than two months ago. That's long enough to know that I love your daughter. Dave, it's not long enough. You might be infatuated with her, but you haven't known her long enough to be in love. It takes time to be in love. Just calm down, Bob. You don't have to tell me to calm down. Honey, we didn't know each other very well before we got married. And that's lasted a lifetime. Mr. Moore, if Shannon and I have half the marriage that you and Cille have, we'll have it made. And I'll do everything I can to make it happen. I have never in my life felt the way I feel about Shannon. This is forever. He's right, Daddy. And you like Dave. You said so the first day you met him. Why are you trying to make him feel bad now? I just can't get used to it. That's all. I know, you think you're losing Shannon, but you're not. We'll see you. We'll have you out to the farm all the time. And I hope I won't embarrass you telling you this, but since I lost my father in World War II, I'd like you to be the father that I never had. [clock ticking] Well, you do look happy together. Never happier. Daddy, this is what I want. Honey, you're a big girl. I guess, I should welcome Dave to the family. - Thank you, sir. - OK. Thank you, Daddy. All right. Well, we're going to have to get to work on this wedding. Oh, we're going to save you the trouble and the expense. It's no trouble. Mom, Dave has always wanted to be married in one of those picturesque, little chapels in Las Vegas. Las Vegas? But how would everybody get to Las Vegas? Mom, I know we've waited all my life for this, but Dave and I are so in love. And it just feels right. I don't want to wait another minute to be Shannon's husband. I'm sorry. We'll have a big celebration when we get back. [slow music] Well, if you really want to do this and if you've thought about it, then I guess you better just go ahead and do it. [slow music] Thanks. [slow music] Almost there. How's it feel being Mrs. Shannon Davis? I feel like the luckiest girl in the world. How do you feel finally getting married? I waited for just the right woman. That's how I feel. Tell me about the others. [laughs] My life began when I met you. [slow music] This is ours, 100 acres of prime Michigan farmland. I thought you said 300. I did, but I'm just farming 100. Dick-- Dick Britton, my neighbor, I'm letting him farm the rest. That's what's left of the trailer burned down last year. Oh, I'm sorry. Don't be. Insurance paid more than it's worth. That was lucky. Luck had nothing to do with it. I insure everything. The house, me, you, even the car payments are insured. If something happens to me, you won't have anything to worry about. Except I couldn't live if something happened to you. Nothing's going to happen to me. Guaranteed. [slow music] Be it ever so humble. I know, it doesn't look like much. It's only temporary. Honey, I don't care what it looks like as long as we're together. As soon as the economy picks up, I'm going to sell some property. And we're going to fix this place up. You know, we could do that right now without spending anything. It's all going to have to wait. I've got something for you. Come on. [slow music] Wow. I just had them delivered before we got here. They're beautiful, huh? I don't really ride. Well, you will now. You know what they say? Nothing so good for the inside of a person is the outside of a horse. Just think about it. Come on now. [slow music] That a girl. Oh, Dave. It's going to be OK. Don't worry. He's real gentle. We'll take it easy. What do I do? You just give him a little kick, like this. [slow music] Well, I was Dave Davis's neighbor, sold him his farm. I like Dave. I wanted to see him do well. He used to come over and help me doing harvest time. Me and my wife Annie were so happy for him when he brought Shannon home. She was a sweetest thing. And she loved him. He'd be telling one of his stories. And she'd just be hanging on every word. So the next thing I know, I'm walking point and then, boom, landmine. Oh, my god, Dave. I saw men step on the things, you couldn't even find the pieces. No, this is a Viet Cong sapper. They had them all over. They're not very powerful. I mean they chew you up enough though. I'll show you. Yeah, I was lucky. Blew me forward on my stomach. But Billy Gauge, though, it went straight to his chest. What happened to him? Well, he died and right-- right there in my arms. So we stopped to bury him. About halfway through the job, I get pinned down by sniper fire. The rest of my company splits off into the jungle. I ended up spending the night in that damn grave, right next to Billy. Next morning, I'm laying there. I'm real still. [intense music] I hear footsteps. I look up. And there's a Cong looking down. And the last thing he ever saw was me shooting him right between the eyes. Oh, my lord. How awful. Well, we're going to play cards or what? 14 blue. Hut. Hut. Hut. Hut. Hey. [cheerful music] Let's go. Go. I'm going to pull the stuff off the barbecue now. OK. Hey, guys, we're getting ready to eat. OK. Last play. Last play. 14, 33. Hut. Hut. Hut. Dave. Dave! The great Michigan quarterback, Dave Davis, has lost his touch. Well, I didn't play quarterback. I love you anyway. I'm gonna see if your dad needs any help, OK? OK, sweetie. Shannon, honey, would you go get the potato salad out of the refrigerator for me, please? Yeah. Isn't he neat, Mom? He's neat. He's neat. I'll carry the drinks. Oh, thanks. It's so good to see you and Dave so happy. It never felt that way when Alana and the kids lived here. Alana? Yeah, Dave's first wife. You knew, didn't you? Oh, yeah, I knew. I'd forgotten her name. That's all. Oh. [chatter] Yeah? Well, you did pretty well. Yeah. - First time? No. No. I haven't played in a while. I visited Dave and Shannon on the farm a lot. I remember, on my last visit, it was really weird because Shannon took me up to her room. And she told me that before I make a commitment to someone to be sure to ask a lot of questions. She told me not to be gun shy, to ask about extramarital affairs, previous wives, everything. We were alone five minutes before Dave knocked on the door telling us to get back to the party. And she never brought it up again. Dick and I are going to take his tractor over to-- what's wrong? These aren't mine. Well, they're sure as hell not mine. I want an answer, Dave. Well, I must-- I must have brought them home from the laundromat, thinking-- thinking that they were yours. Are they Alana's? You have children, too, don't you? Honey-- Don't. Just don't. How could you? I didn't want you to know. The way I feel is that you're the only woman in the world. She didn't exist. That is not your decision to make. Well, I'm not perfect. I want to know about her. She got pregnant. We were only married a few years. We were never in love. But you have children. And you never see them. She won't let me. She told the judge a bunch of lies about me. But you never talk about them. There are no pictures around here? It's just too painful. She already took my kids from me. Don't let her take you from me, too. I love you. [slow music] I want to believe you. Then just do it because it's the truth. And I adore you. [slow music] Dave, come here. [slow music] We saw a lot of Shannon and Dave. Most weekends, we'd drive out from Toledo and stay at the farm. And Dave treated us like royalty. We thought he was great. We were so fond of him. Never saw them fight until that last day. I knew something was wrong. We must have really interfered with his plans. Van going to be ready for the trip? Well, that's the plan. And I thought-- thought maybe we'd take the horses out later. I don't think so. I just saw my folks at the gas station. They're right behind me. Shannon, you know we've got things to do besides entertain your mom and dad. Hamburgers OK for dinner? You didn't tell me they were coming. You didn't tell me I had to clear everything with you. Besides, you like my parents. Well, not every weekend, not this weekend. They're only staying one night. Mom's got a ceramics class or something in the morning. We're trying to leave for Florida. Damn! Exactly, which makes this our last chance to see them before we go. Hello, Dave. Dave? I'll go find Shannon. OK. Hello? Shannon. Oh, I'm so glad you're here. Oh, honey. Honey, what's wrong? Nothing. Something's wrong, Shannon. Just don't go, OK? Oh, honey. Cille, I think we're interrupting something. I was just explaining to Bob, we have an awful lot of work to do to get ready for our trip. Dave, we don't even have to stay overnight. Maybe we'll stay for dinner and then be on our way. Maybe another weekend, it'll be better. Can we take a rain check? I think we should stay the night. It's an awful long drive in the dark. Shannon and I, we were going to take the horses out before dinner. I thought we had so much to do. Shannon, I think we need to talk? Do you mind? No, you two go ahead. I'll make dinner. Look, let's not fight. You've just been acting so strange. Everything's a big secret with you. Look, I'm still not used to getting married. And I know, I've been stressed out over this trip. Well, you don't have to take it out on me. I don't mean to. All I want to do is make things good for you. I'm sorry. I just want it the way it was supposed to be. We need some time alone. This ride's going to be good. Believe me, it's just what we need. [slow music] Come on, babe. Let's go. [slow music] [intense music] Dick! Dick! Oh, Dick! What the hell is he doing? - Dick, you've got to help me. - Oh, my god, Dave. What's happened? - Shannon had an accident. - Andy, call an ambulance now. - Your car. Your car. - All right. - No time. - All right. No time. [intense music] There she is, between those trees. Slow down. Slow down. She still got a pulse, but it's weak. Let's put her in the back of your car and take her to Willow Point. Dave, Willow Point's too small. They're not having a yard doctor on the job. There's sure to be one in Hillsboro. No, Willow Point is closer. They've got a breathing machine. That's what she needs now. Dave! She's my wife! [intense music] [honking] [honking] Come on. Over here. She's not breathing. Get a gurney and an ambu bag. No, she needs a respirator. Get out of the car. She's my wife. You have to help her. You have to let us do our job. Please just let us bring her down. You've got to help her. You've got to help her. I saw them coming in. What have you got? 25-year-old female. No pulse. No respiration. You're just going to get in the way. Give them a chance. I want some atropine and some epinephrine on board. Get the crash cart STAT. Get the EKG in here quickly now. Can I call her parents, Dave? Oh, god, Dick. They need to know. Now, I'll call them. Do you have a phone number? They're back at the house. Your house? All right. Look, I'll be right here, Dave. I'm just going to call Shannon's parents. Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on. It's been 15 minutes. [somber music] All right, everybody. Let's call it. Let's put down 3:45. She didn't get in till 4:15. DOA. [somber music] We've done all we can do, all anyone can do. I'm sorry. She can't be dead. She can't be. We couldn't save her. It was too late. She talked to me. She told me it was OK. [cries] Do you want someone to look after those scratches, Mr. Davis? I'll leave you alone. I'm here if you want to talk later. [sobbing]. Excuse me. Are you Mr. Davis? I'm Deputy Glassman from the Hillsboro County Sheriff's Department. This is my partner, Deputy Alvarez. I realize this is a very difficult time for you. But we're required to take a statement about what happened. Can we do this now? I understand it's a horseback-riding accident. Maybe you can just begin by telling us what happened. Well, we started down a small trail, the brush was thick. I heard Shannon scream. [screams] DAVE (VOICEOVER): Somehow, she fell off of her horse. I'm first-aid trained. I examined the wound. She had a good, strong pulse I was thinking that I was going to have to go get help, but I didn't want to leave her here. She was conscious by the time I dragged her to the edge of the woods. But she couldn't get up. Dave, go get help. I can't leave you here, Shannon. You've got to. [somber music] I rode through the woods just as fast as I could to get to Dick's. And that's-- that's how I got these scratches. Shannon's folks are here. Would you? We're just about down here anyway. Did you have insurance on your wife's life, Mr. Davis? Insurance? No. OK. Thank you. [somber music] Dick, is she gonna be all right? Tell me she's alive, Dick. I can't do that, Bob. Oh, no. I have to see her, Dick. I have to see her. I know, Cille. [somber music] Oh, Dave. She's gone. She's gone. Oh. [intense music] (VOICES ECHOING) I'm so sorry. What happened? We went on a ride. And Shannon took a fall. She fell off the horse? She hit her head. Hey, doc. Can I maybe get the, uh, stats on Shannon Davis. Cause of death? What's the matter? Something's wrong, Shannon. Just don't leave, OK? Oh, honey. Shannon wants to be cremated. Cremated? No. No, Dave. You can't cremate my daughter. I told you that's she wanted. No. No, Dave, you can't do that. She's Catholic. Shannon and I have talked about this several times. She said that when she died, she wanted to be cremated. No, Shannon would never have said that. She wouldn't want to be cremated. I'm her husband. And I'm going to see that she gets what she wanted. - Dave, I won't let you do this. - What? You can't stop me. I'll get a judge if I have to. Is everything OK? Dave, give her back to her parents. You've only had her for 10 months. Let her go. Dave, is it-- is it the money for the burial? What about insurance? I think there was a small insurance policy that the hospital had given her. But your-- your name was on it as the beneficiary. We'll pay for the funeral. We'll pay for the plot if the money's the problem. But please, please, Dave, let us take her back and bury her in Toledo, please. All right. All right. But I want the casket closed at that funeral. [somber music] All right, Bob. Listen to me, honey. Something's not right here. Shannon told me that he took out a big policy on her right after the marriage. Why would he lie about that now? Why would he lie about that? [cries] [somber music] I didn't think Dave should be alone that night, so I made him come home with me. We sat up for a while. And then he went to bed. I was too upset to sleep. Me and Annie had a good cry that night. We just liked Shannon so much. It's what happened the next morning that made me feel like I'd been run over by a truck. [music playing] Morning, Dave. Morning, Dick. [music playing] You know, does Ralph Weston still want to sell his farm? My god, Dave, how can you talk about real estate on the day after your wife died? Forget it. I guess, I'm just trying to keep my mind off this thing. Thanks for the coffee, Dick. [music playing] What are you doing, Cille? It won't come out. I keep washing but it just won't come out. Even if it did, it wouldn't bring her back. I just keep thinking, if this will come out, then I'm going to stop all those terrible things I'm thinking about Dave. But it won't come out. Put it away, Cille. This is Shannon's blood, Bob. This means something. [music playing] What is this? Dave dropped it off for Shannon to be buried in. [music playing] Ugh, Shannon wouldn't want to be buried in this old thing. I guess Dave picked it out. My little girl is going to spend eternity in something. It's not going to be this. Mr. Davis said that he carried her from the woods. Where do you think that would be? Well, over in this area here. This must be the place where she hit her head, don't you think? Probably. Now, do you need to take samples or anything? What would you like us to prove, Mr. Britton? That it's blood? That it belongs to Shannon Moore? I don't think there's any doubt about that. Here are her shoes. Oh, Annie, don't pick those up. Hon, they may need them for evidence. Now, they're untied. You can go ahead and pick them up, ma'am. I don't think we'll need them to file an accident report. You got what you need? OK. Well, thank you very much for your help, folks. Look at these marks. Now, doesn't it look like somebody tied up a horse here? Mr. Britton, I appreciate this woman was your friend, but accidents happen. I'm sorry. Thank you for your time, folks. Annie, you go ahead and take them back. [music playing] Cille, I want you to know that everything's going to be taken care of. We will do everything that we can. How's Bob? Oh, he's not very well, I'm afraid. Please sit. I want Shannon to be buried in this. Of course. Is there anything else I can do? Yes. When they bring the body in, I'd like you to look under her fingernails. See if there's any evidence of Shannon's having clawed or scratched somebody. I'm sorry, Cille. It's too late for that. Why too late? The body's already here, been embalmed, and cleaned. Well, how could they have finished the autopsy so soon? There was no autopsy. [music playing] Shannon Moore Davis lived her life with a sweetness that left its mark on everyone here. As we commend her body to the ground, realize her spirit dwells in each and every one of us. May the Lord welcome Shannon on her journey to the table of Gods children in heaven with faith and hope in eternal peace. Let us assist her now with a silent prayer. [gentle music] Aunt Cille. Hi, Teresa. Dave. Dave, we're just so sorry. I really appreciate having friends like you. Shannon and I were very lucky. Excuse me. Mrs. Warrick, I'm sorry. I'm-- I'm curious. Do you know when the death certificate will become available? Well, that usually happens within a couple of weeks. It's a paperwork thing. But it won't be long. Would you do me a favor? Would you please let me know when you have it? I'd like to have a copy. Of course. Thank you. Thank you, Mark. Thank you very much. Mr. Moore. Yes. I'm Jane Thomas, Dave's mother. Oh, please. Sit down. Thank you. It's so nice to meet you. Not under these circumstances I'm sure. I'm so sorry. They've told me what a wonderful girl Shannon was. Thank you. I don't want to disturb your wife, but please tell her how sorry I am. And-- and sorry that they never had a wedding where we all could have met earlier. Dave worshipped Shannon. I just don't know how he's going to handle this. Yes. After all the other things he's been through. How's that? Well, you know, the Vietnam and friends of his dying in his arms. Vietnam? There must be some mistake. What do you mean? He was never in Vietnam. The Marines? No, not the Marines either. Just after the funeral, a group of us went to dinner to get our minds off of it. Dave ordered Margaritas and nachos. And when the drinks came, he made a toast to Shannon. It was really bad. It went-- it went something like to my loving wife, who is now smiling down on us, I wouldn't change a thing. I just wish that she could have cooked better. [music playing] Hey, babe, it's me. Papers are saying that girl's dead, Dave. What's going on? She's as alive as you and me. Dave, she fell off a horse and died. It's here in black and white. You ought to know better than to believe everything you read in the papers. What are you telling me, Dave? What are you telling me? This woman has a new name, a new house, someone new to watch over her. So your job is over now? I'm packing for a little R&R in the Florida sun. I want to come with you. Why not? [intense music] Cille, I just got off the phone with the funeral parlor. Dave's just coming up the sidewalk. Listen to me, Cille. The lady at the funeral parlor said that six separate insurance companies called. They want to see copies of the death certificates. What do we say to him now? Nothing. We don't want him to know that we know. All right. [knocking] What's wrong? I've had a bad day. I'm sure you understand that, Dave? These are some things I'm sure Shannon would want you to have. You can come out to the house later and look around after I get back. Oh, you're going someplace? I just got to get out of here. I'm sure you do. I'll be in the desert. Don't know where. I'm just going to keep driving, trying to heal. Well, I guess that's it. Dave, how do we reach you if we want to-- Well, you can't. There are no phones in the desert. [music playing] Jerri! Jerri! [music playing] Did you get your errand done? Oh, fine. No problem. Great. Oh. I can't wait to get to Florida. Me neither. [music playing] Well, I'd really like to help you, Mrs. Moore. But there are no laws against travel in this country. But there's laws against murder. Yes, there are, Mr. Moore. Well, he murdered our daughter. Now he's trying to run away. Don't you understand that? You think so anyway. What about all the insurance policies? I've already checked into that. He stands to get over $300,000. Yes, and he lied about them. Which makes the man guilty of lying, Mrs. Moore. It doesn't make him guilty of homicide. Tell me, Detective, what the hell does it take? Well, first you have to prove that a murder was even committed. Your daughter's death was ruled an accident. But they'd know that that wasn't the truth if they did an autopsy. Maybe, but they didn't. Detective, I want you to understand something. A mother knows. [phone ringing] Well, I don't think you're going to want to do this, but there is one way to settle it. Shannon Davis, that was her name for eight months. She was Shannon Moore for 24 years. My name is Donald Voorhees, Prosecutor for Hillsboro County. I have reviewed the report of the autopsy performed on the body of Shannon Davis. I can summarize by saying there was a single wound at the back of Mrs. Davis's head and evidence of bleeding on the right side of the brain and that there was no evidence that Mrs. Davis had been beaten or of any foul play. In short, the injuries were consistent with the initial information, that she was thrown from her horse and that she struck her head on a rock. I am recommending that the investigation by the Hillsboro County Sheriff's Department be discontinued. Well, as far as I'm concerned, that's good enough for me. The case is closed. Isn't it true that Dave Davis stands to collect $330,000 in insurance if his wife's death is ruled an accident? I don't think I know you. Billy Bowles, Detroit Free Press. Mr. Bowles, what you refer to is circumstantial evidence only. As I've already explained, the autopsy report states that a crime has not been committed. Now, if there has been no crime, I don't really have to look for suspects now, do I? Have you ever even questioned Mr. Davis? You people in the media want to trial a case which doesn't exist. Now, you may not have thought about this, but I believe Mr. Davis has certain rights this department has an obligation to protect. What about Shannon? What about her rights? Mrs. Moore, I know how you must feel. Oh, no, you don't. Nobody knows how we feel. Look, Mr. Voorhees, we read this report too. Let me tell you something. I may be a shop steward for a bunch of painters. But the way I read it is that the coroner can't make a proper autopsy because Shannon was already embalmed. And when that happens, you can't test for suffocation. Now what do you have to say about that? Well, it's possible that some mistakes were made. But we can only go on what the experts tell us. What experts? Mrs. Moore, as I'm trying to explain, every citizen has rights, including Mr. Davis. You're standing up for him. What about Shannon? She was only 25 years old. And she's lying in the ground. Who's going to stand up for Shannon? [reporters shouting] [music playing] Cille, why don't you come back to bed? I can't sleep. [music playing] Honey, we're doing everything we possibly can. But we can't let this whole thing poison our lives like this. Where will it end? It'll end when that killer is behind bars. [music playing] Are you Alana Henderson? Who are you? Billy Bowles with the Detroit Free Press. I'm wondering if I might talk to you for a minute about your ex-husband, Dave Davis. I don't have anything to say about him. Please go away. You're an important part of this story. No, I'm not. Leave my name out of it, please. Mrs. Henderson. Look, Mr. Bowles, I've got a restraining order against Dave. If I have to, I can get one against you. You won't need that. I mean, I'll leave right now if you want. But my editors are going to make me write this article anyway. I feel terrible about that girl and her family. I can tell you that. Is that enough? Did you ever have reason to believe that Dave was violent? You mean, other than when he was hitting me? I'll try not to take long. You said he hit you? I was raised Catholic. I was determined to stay in the marriage, no matter how bad it got. One day, Dave came up behind me and hit me blindside. When I came to, he said you're lucky you're still alive. That's when I filed for divorce. Miss Hobson? Look, if you're the man from the paper, I don't have anything to say to you. I just need to ask a few questions. Following the death of Shannon Moore Davis, did you go to Florida with David Davis? You don't know the real story. Why don't you report that? Is David Davis in town now? I have nothing to say to you. Is that his van? Look, she doesn't have anything to say. Didn't you hear? Do you have anything to say, Mr. Davis? If I have a statement, I'll call you. Did you kill your wife? Why don't you call my lawyer and get your foot out of my door, or I'll do it for you. I thought this was Miss Hobson's house. Davis had been invited to speak to high school students about the Vietnam War. He described what it's like to watch men die in combat. And he broke down and cried. According to the Defense Department, Dave Davis was never in the service and never in Vietnam. Several of Davis's friends now say they felt sorry for him because of his many tragedies, orphaned as an infant, wounded in war, and blind in a hospital for a year, then injured in an industrial accident. They had learned that the stories Davis told them were untrue. For Gods sake, Dave, don't you have something to say about this? Everything that I told you about Vietnam is true. But if you ask the government, they'll deny it. I can't tell you any more about it. But I was in the Marines. Don't lie to me, Dave. You lied to me enough already. I've never lied to you. You can ask me about anything. The insurance policies, I heard you say that you didn't have any. And now it turns out you have six of them. I thought they were talking about health insurance. And about the life insurance, I didn't even know I had any. I was confused about what double indemnity meant. I was in shock. What about your father? You said he died in World War two II. And it says right here, he lives in Michigan. They're right. The man listed on those papers as my father lives in Michigan. But that's not my biological father. The man I think of as my father got my mother pregnant on leave but never came home. I'm sorry, Dave. I'm just not buying what you're selling. Don't be so sure. What do you mean? Well, I can't live here anymore, Dick, not with all this suspicion. Hell, you're my best friend, but Shannon's parents and that reporter have done such a number on me, you don't even believe me. I got work to do. Dick? I was thinking of selling my farm. I thought maybe you'd like to buy it. I'll make you a good deal. Well, I was a little skeptical when I read the letter Dick Britton wrote our office. My first reaction was, the girl's parents must have stirred up the locals. Another case of grieving parents who couldn't accept their daughter died in an accident. This happened sometimes with grieving parents. But then I met them. When they bought the video camera, I thought it was a big waste of money. But now when I see Shannon and Dave, I-- Maybe it'll help me understand why you're so suspicious. Do you have any idea how hot it can get driving home to Hillsboro from Toledo in a car without air-conditioning? Well, I don't know, but it's pretty sweaty. Anyway, we still don't have air-conditioning, but it's not a problem anymore. Look at this. [giggles] Hi, Tom. Hi, Cille. How do you like the car? He borrowed $10,000 to buy that car. And then he takes out more life insurance on Shannon, so that if she dies, the loan gets paid off. He now owns that car free and clear. Honey, bring the camera over. I want to say hi to your mom and dad. Erica! Oh. No, I'm sorry. I just can't stand to watch this. What I don't understand is why would her shoes be off if she fell from the horse? Why would the laces be untied? Something happened in those woods that was not an accident. Detective Brooks, can you help us? We're running out of people to ask. I don't know. But I'm going to try. Thank you. [music playing] Are you Dr. Roger Fulbright? That's me. That must make you the eager, young detective with the grand theory about the Davis case. I've got a theory, yes. Well, I'm chained to the desk for the afternoon, so let's hear it. All right. Davis and his wife were alone in the woods. But he knew he couldn't repeatedly strike her head again and again if he wanted us to believe she died falling off a horse. Meaning, you think he only had one chance to connect her head with that rock. He had to be sure she wasn't going to put up much of a fight. Therefore, our young detective theorizes Davis might have used some kind of drug to immobilize her. He took pharmacology classes. He's a smart guy. Wouldn't a smart guy worry that might turn up in our lab work? Not if he thought he could sell the horse story and get her cremated right away. Chemical analysis of Shannon Moore's tissue. What's this? Could be your drug. You knew about this all along? It also be a fatty acid. So far, we've eliminated about 1,000 possibilities out of, oh, say, a quarter million. So keep checking. It doesn't work that way. I don't have the time, the money, or the equipment to track this down. I'm never going to be able to tell you what it is. You have to tell me. And then I try to verify it. I have to tell you? Isn't that why they pay you the big bucks, Detective? [music playing] Look at him, just look at him, that son of a-- I want you to go in there, sit across the table from him, show him you're not afraid of him. Yeah, well, I'm afraid of what I might do to him. He should be on trial for murder. Why should I have to sue him for wrongful death? If we win this suit, we keep the insurance money out of Dave's hands. The minute he gets it, he could run. Whatever we have to do to get him, for Shannon. [sighs] All right now, let me just try to summarize some of these things. Death of your father, playing football for Bo Shembechler in the Rose Bowl, serving in Vietnam, growing up in an orphanage. Now you've admitted lying about all these things, haven't you? Apparently so. Let me ask you something. Help me out here. Why tell people something if it's not true? I have no answer. Your answer is you have no answer. That's what he said. Let's get back to Shannon. Did you love her? Of course. Of course. Now, you've told us, you traveled to Florida two days after your wife's funeral. Who did you go with? A-- a friend helped me to drive there. What was the name of that friend? Jerri Hobson. Jerri Hobson. That's a woman's name though, isn't it? Yes. The time it took traveling to Florida involved overnight stops, did it not? Yes. Yes. Did you and Jerri Hobson share a room during that trip? I don't have to answer that question. Oh, Mr. Davis, I'm afraid you do. You're sworn as if you were standing in front of a judge. Do you want to tell him? You need to answer it. The question is, did you and Jerri Hobson share a room during a trip to Florida immediately after your wife's funeral? Yes. Son of a bitch. You never loved anybody but yourself. Please, Mr. Moore, any more outbursts, you'll have to leave the room. Let's continue, Mr. Davis. Let's go back to the day of the accident. Did you pull your wife from her horse and hit her head against a rock? No. Why should we believe you now, when you've acknowledged that you've lied in the past? I didn't kill my wife. That's why you should believe me, because I didn't do it. [intense music] I didn't do it. [cheerful music] [chatter] - You're kidding? - No You have a satellite phone? Yes, I do. And that's the guy I'm going to interview. For your bodyguard company? Mm-hmm. He doesn't look that tough. Well, looks can be deceiving. I'll just be a few seconds. [cheerful music] Congratulations. You're now fully licensed to drive in the Sunshine State. Oh, this is good. Nothing but the best. I also paid for Social Security. What's this? It's a library card. It's a blue-light bonus special, just a little insurance. Oh, you can never have too much insurance. [cheerful music] Detective Brooks, Michigan State Police. Do I have to talk to you? Not yet. Where's Dave? Florida. That's where he lives now. Maybe he told you about his deposition? That's nothing to do with me. I think it does. You stayed at a motel with a man whose wife died three days before. I'd say that's pretty suspicious behavior from both of you. I had nothing to do with that woman's death. I believe you. But you got to admit it, it sounds-- Dave told me my name never came up. Wouldn't be the first time he lied to you, would it? Do you know for a fact that this Shannon Moore wasn't in the Witness Protection Program? Is that what he told you? Shannon Moore is no witness. She's the victim. Well, are you sure it's really her? That it's really her body? It's her. Whatever he told you, it's her. They were really married. And she's dead. But Dave works for the government, doesn't he? I mean, he's an agent or something? It's one of his better stories. God, I've been so stupid. If I had married him, I'd be the-- He talked about marriage? Almost from the beginning. Why didn't you marry him? I wasn't ready. I mean, he scared me off. He still had the rings from the woman before me who backed out. It was all too planned. This woman before you, you remember her name? Yeah. He's in trouble, huh? He's under investigation. What's his is background? I don't know what I can tell you. It's been a few years. Dave came and went a lot from my life. He's always Tokyo, or Belize, or something. You know, he works for the CIA. Mm-hmm. I guess, "worked" is probably the word now that he's in this trouble. Did he ever propose? Cappy? Oh, yeah. Cappy? He gave himself a nickname, Cappy, for Captain. He thought he was a big time sailor. But you didn't marry him? Almost did. We had the tickets. And I was almost on the plane when I backed out. Where were you going to get married? Las Vegas. He wanted to get married in one of those tacky, little chapels. I just-- I just couldn't handle that. Ever remember Dave talking about drugs, bring up subject? I know this is what you're looking for, but I remember one time, this must have been 1978. He read me an article about some physician that F. Lee Bailey defended, used a drug he said was the perfect murder weapon because after it kills somebody, it can't be detected in an autopsy. He actually told you that? Oh, yeah. Dave could get excited about some pretty unusual things. He used to read a lot of murder mysteries. Try this. Intact and dioxin chloride, a pretty good guess for rookie. Where'd you get this? A lot of farmers like Davis have access to it. See if it matches. Oh, it kills people dead, all right, paralyzes every muscle in the body, so you can't even breathe. The problem is after about 10 minutes it breaks down in human tissue. So guys like me can't find it. Sorry. Try it anyway. Well, if it will make you feel better, we'll rule it out. And then you can get back to work. Great. [music playing] It'll only take a couple of minutes to get a reading. [music playing] You know this is the one with dioxin chloride, right? Now this is the unknown compound found in Shannon Moore's tissues. Bingo. Perfect match. I've got to run more tests to replicate this. I've got to be able to prove you can extract dioxinol chloride from human tissue. But if I can, it sure looks like you've got your man. This gives me the proof Shannon Moore was murdered. I still got to prove Dave Davis had access to the drug. Hey, Detective, good call. [music playing] Detective Brooks, this is my niece Tracy. Hi, Tracy. Hi, Detective. Honey, you just tell him what you told us. Well, there are about a dozen needles in the butter compartment in the fridge. Hypodermic needles? Yeah, I guess Dave used them for the animals. There were also some vials in the freezer. You know the kind where you put the needle through and pull the drug out? Do you remember the name of the drug? I don't know. It sounded like penicillin. But I guess I'm just not sure. Take a look. There are five names here. Can you remember one of them? They look like anyway. That one. Which one? I don't know how you say it, Pentactin. OK. Well, thanks. Sorry I couldn't be of more help. Thanks, Tracy. [music playing] I'm sorry it wasn't that dioxin or whatever it is you were looking for. There are seven brand names for dioxinol chloride. And one of them is Pentactin. Oh, my god. You've both been through so much. I don't know how to ask you this. We need your permission to exhume Shannon again. [music playing] Dave? Just checking in. Dave, where the hell are you? I'm around. Hey, listen. Where are you? Are you getting any closer to settling that civil suit? It's not a civil matter anymore, Dave. What do you mean? I mean, since you last checked in, they exhumed Shannon Moore's body, looking for needle marks. They found some, impaneled a grand jury. There's a federal warrant out for your arrest. Are they out of their minds? Dave, they may be, but your position now is critical. So as my attorney, what's your advice? My advice is to get your butt back to Michigan ASAP. This is no game, Dave. This is a murder charge. OK. OK. I'll take the first plane back. Where are you? I'm on my way. Never mind. [music playing] What is it? I'm being charged with negligence in the death of my-- my wife. I've got to return to Michigan. How soon? Well, I've got to get you on a plane back to Lansing. And then I'll-- I'll follow in a few days. Did you hurt your wife, Dave? Mona, I hurt my wife about as much as I've hurt you, which is not at all. And I loved her the way I love you. [music playing] [background chatter] Hi. Hi. Can I help you? I'd like to buy a ticket to Hawaii. OK. Your name, please? Bell, David Meyer Bell. [music playing] Don, you look like a drowned rat. Come on in. Bob? We lost him. [sighs] [music playing] We tried everything. We even printed thousands of flyers, distributed them in Florida and the Caribbean area. We followed leads, nothing. In 1979, Dave Davis married Shannon Moore. In 1980, he killed her. By 1987, it looked like he'd gotten away with the perfect crime. I hated that. [knocking] Yeah. Hey, Jack. Hello. How you doing? Got an idea on the Dave Davis case. You're still the assigned prosecutor, right? Yeah, it's somewhere in the bottom of that pile. Well, get it out. I got a plan to find him. Look, Brooks, Davis is dead. All right. He probably tried to con some Caribbean bad ass. He's too smart for that. He's alive. So what's this brilliant new plan? Unsolved Mysteries. Oh. Why not? We've done everything else. It's the only way we're going to get that case from the bottom of the stack and put it on top again. Well, we can't. The grand jury judge said we can't talk to the media. Let's call him up and ask him again. I mean, Jack, we do nothing, this guy got away with murder. You didn't get into this business to let people do that. We tried everything else. What do we got to lose? [phone ringing] Well, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to ask. If Shannon's death had been an accident, I could have accepted it. But what I couldn't accept was seeing a young girl ride off on horseback and never come back to me. What happened out there? I don't know. I do know that she called for me. And I didn't hear her. I can't accept that. I won't. That's all right. We're-- we're going to get him. Wherever he is he, he knows we're still after him. We'll get him. We'll get him. [intense music] On July 23, 1980, a small Michigan farming community, newlyweds Dave and Shannon Davis prepared to go for a sunset horseback ride. Within an hour, Shannon was dead. After Shannon's death, Bob and Lucille Moore began to discover that Dave Davis was not the man he seemed to be. Dave Davis has now disappeared. There's a warrant out for his arrest. The Moores are afraid that their son-in-law may have gotten away with the perfect crime. [music playing] [phone ringing] My wife thought you looked like a chipmunk on TV. I told her the camera puts about 10 pounds on you. So, nice color scheme we got here. Got a cluster call from Anchorage, pretty clear he lived there for a while, worked as a pilot. Got some calls from LA? Santa Monica area, nothing in the last five years. Yeah, I even got a call, someone who thought Davis was the actor who played him in the recreation. Got anything to bring this bastard in? No. Not yet. And the phone stopped ringing. Well, I never thought I'd say this to anyone, but pray for a rerun. Good night. Good night. [slow music] He's a cold-blooded murderer. That's what he is. I want to see him locked up, put away before he can do this to any other girl because he will. Believe me, he will. [phone ringing] Hello? This is Detective Don Brooks, Michigan State Police. I can help you find the man that you showed on television. Well, ma'am, what makes you think that? I am looking at his picture right now. How do you know it's him? How do you know it's not? You tell me what you know first. Well, there's just one small problem with that. If I tell you, the judge starts to act like I told you what to say. I need you to tell me something first. Like what? Like something that proves we're talking about the same man. If he's a killer and he gets off, then he could come after me. We'll keep your identity a secret. Is your Mr. Davis known by a nickname? Here's where I really need you to tell me. Cappy. Have you ever heard of him called Cappy? Could you hold one moment, please? We got him. Yes. Where? Ma'am, this is very important. Could you please tell us where you last saw him? Pago Pago, American Samoa. [intense music] What do you think? I'm not getting a good look at his face. Last trip to freedom. Freedom? Vacation. Ah. Where are you going? I don't know. May just-- may just get in my plane and keep on flying. [intense music] I see him. Let's go. [intense music] Are you David Richard Davis? I don't know anybody by-- - David Meyer Bell. - Who are you? I have a warrant for the arrest of David Richard Davis a.k.a. David Meyer Bell on charges of murder and unlawful flight. You have the right to remain silent. You have the right to an attorney. If you give up either of these rights, anything you say can be used against you in a court of law. Do you understand that? Yes. I ask you again. Are you David Richard Davis? What can I say? It's me. [phone ringing] Hello? Oh, thank god. They got him. Oh. Oh, sweetie. [music playing] I think maybe it's time for us to talk. I just don't understand why all of this is happening, how anybody could think that I killed my wife? That's what you did, isn't it? No. I loved her. And I don't know how anybody could think that. You mean, other than the fact you ran on a federal warrant and changed your name? I was scared. But I never hurt my wife, never. Why don't we just get started? Shannon meant everything to me. This is all a big misunderstanding. Let's get something straight. I know everything about you. I know you like to give everybody red and white carnations. I know you never picked up a football in college, much less played in a Rose Bowl. I know every single job you ever had, especially during the times you said you were in Vietnam. I talked to the wife you said you never had and most of your girlfriends. I can even tell you what they think of you in the sack. I even know what size underwear you wear because you left your luggage on your boat when you skipped out. So you don't want to answer my questions, don't. But spare me the bull because I'm on to you. I don't want to hear any more of your lies, OK? Maybe I should talk to a lawyer. Fine. I'll tell you what. When it's over, let's have a beer. Then I'll answer all your questions. I'll tell you what. When you're in prison, Dave, I'll come visit you. And we'll have a cup of coffee. And you can tell me what it felt like to snuff the life out of a girl who adored you, huh? [intense music] Now, Mr. Davis said in your presence that it was Shannon's desire to be cremated? Yes. David wanted her to be cremated right away. Well, based on your knowledge of your daughter, did she have any stated position on cremation? She was raised Catholic. She never would have wanted that. Thank you, Mrs. Moore. No further questions. Mrs. Moore, you're interested in fairness in these proceedings against your son-in-law or are you not? Yes, I am. Now, as I understand your direct testimony, it's your opinion that Shannon would not have wanted to be cremated because she was raised Catholic. Is that correct? Yes. Was it not also against the Catholic religion at that time to marry a divorced person? Yes, but-- And yet, even though Shannon had been raised to Catholic, and even though David had been previously married and divorced, Shannon still married him. Isn't that true? She didn't know. That David had been previously married? She told you that? Well, she didn't exactly tell me. But I know that she didn't know. But she did not actually say it to you. And did she ever tell you of her wishes not to be cremated? No. No. So you can't be entirely certain that Shannon did not want to be cremated, can you? No. Thank you, Mrs. Moore. [crowd talking] I remember that. Yes. I was-- - There. They're there now. Mr. And Mrs. Moore, are you glad the trial is almost over? I think we'll be glad when there's some justice done. Were you surprised that Dave Davis is not justifying his own defense? How could he? He'd just have to admit to all his own lies. And we've demonstrated that Dave Davis knew that his wife would die before he even met Shannon Moore. A year earlier, he had formulated a near perfect plan, a premeditated murder. But he wasn't picky. No, Shannon Moore was merely the most unfortunate of a long series of girlfriends. And she was much too sweet and too much in love to say no to his deadly proposal of marriage. Now, Dave Davis is the only person in this courtroom that knows exactly what happened almost 10 years ago on that fatal horseback ride. But the evidence that we have presented paints a pretty clear picture. Shannon Moore did not fall off her horse. She did not accidentally hit her head on the only rock in the entire area that was big enough to hurt her. No. Dave talked Shannon into stopping on the pretext of a romantic interlude to make up for a fight. Remember, her shoes were found untied and her blouse was unbuttoned. Sadly, Shannon desperately wanted her marriage to work. And Dave Davis took advantage of that. [music playing] This is what I've been waiting for. What if anyone sees us? No, no one's going to see us. [music playing] What are you doing? Now, a direct hit to the bloodstream with dioxin chloride will drop you like a stone in just a few seconds. But on his first try, Dave Davis could only get off a subcutaneous injection, which is just beneath the skin, so he had to inject her a second time. [screams] Ouch. [dramatic music] Ladies and gentlemen, dioxin chloride does not render you unconscious. It renders you immobile, paralyzing all your muscles, including the ones that allow you to breathe. But you can still see. You can still feel. Until the moment of her death, Shannon Moore probably knew the horror of what was happening to her, but she was helpless to stop it. She couldn't speak. She couldn't act. She couldn't even cry out for help. But you, the members of this jury, can both speak and act. And today you must, you must cry out for justice for Shannon Moore. Thank you. There's a lot of rage and a lot of pain in this room. A young woman in the prime of her life is dead. It's terribly unfair. And we want to reach out and punish someone for that. We can't punish God. But Mr. Mandell will furnish us a scapegoat. It's his job to convince you that you can purge your anger by seeking vengeance on my client. You could go home tonight, secure in the knowledge you have helped society avenge a senseless murder. It's a satisfying feeling. There's just one problem. My client David Davis did not murder his wife. Every single piece of evidence that the state as presented has been circumstantial. None of it is direct. No one saw a murder. No one testified that they sold drugs, supposedly used in a murder to David Davis. The so-called evidence about dioxin chloride is so much scientific gobbledygook, it's one man's pet theory, but it's not fact. Ladies and gentlemen, mourn Shannon Davis, grieve for her parents' loss, but do justice too. Set David Davis free. Thank you. Hey. How long have you been out? Couple of hours. Oh. Um, we just wanted to say that no matter how this turns out, thanks to the both of you. We think you both have done everything you possibly could to help us. Listen, Cille, without your and Bob's determination none of us would be here. Especially Dave. Well, we'll just have to say a silent prayer. Amen. Thanks. Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I have been advised that you have arrived at a verdict which has just been handed to me and which I will now read. Mr. Davis, please rise. In the case number 90-407b, the people of the State of Michigan versus David R. Davis, the jury finds the defendant guilty of murder in the first degree. [applause] Please, some order. Please, let's have some order in this court. Mr. Davis, do you have a statement at this time? Your honor, I would only say that I have committed no crime. Mr. Davis, I will, at this time, remand you into custody of the Sheriff. This court is in recess. [music playing] Mr. Moore, Mrs. Moore, do you feel like you got your revenge today? Well, this has never been about revenge. It's about Shannon. That's right. All we can try to do is give her some justice. And I think we did that. [reporters shouting] Mr. Davis, you are educated, articulate, and clever. The murder of Shannon Moore took place only after months or years of planning. That is the kind of act perpetrated on society, and especially upon your wife, that prisons are made for it. And that, Mr. Davis, is where you will spend the rest of your life, in prison, without the possibility of parole. [somber music] Honey, let's go home. [gentle music]
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Channel: FilmRise Movies
Views: 3,093,406
Rating: undefined out of 5
Keywords: Crime, Murder, Investigation, Fugitive, mystery, conspiracy, insurance, fake romance, parents, daughter, shannon mohr, shannon mohr movie, shannon mohr true crime
Id: eTUzTNhUtjA
Channel Id: undefined
Length: 93min 3sec (5583 seconds)
Published: Thu Mar 23 2023
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