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Suspect found dead in motel
Man believed to have shot self as officer arrived
Stacia Glenn, Staff Writers
Article Launched: 08/07/2008 09:31:58 PM PDT
REDLANDS - Behind the door of Room 4 is where the tale ended.
A Redlands police officer walked down the hall of the nine-room Sunrise Motel about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.
His destination: a room where a convicted child molester was believed to be hiding.
In hand was a warrant to arrest Walter Ward Davis, 74, for not appearing in court last week to be sentenced for continually sexually abusing a child.
The officer and a motel manager who led the way never saw the curtain move. No face peeked out the door.
But Davis somehow knew the police were closing in. Perhaps he knew the acquaintance he came face to face with earlier in the day would turn him in.
A single gunshot rang out, and the officer heard the distinct thud of a body falling. He radioed for backup.
"As our officer was approaching the door - before he even had a chance to knock on the door - a gunshot went off," said Redlands spokesman Carl Baker. "We don't really know how he knew we were coming."
It was nearly an hour before police approached Room 4 once again. An officer holding a shield in front of him broke out the window and pulled the curtain aside to look inside.
Davis was lying on the floor, a revolver beneath his body.
Preliminary reports are that Davis committed suicide. An autopsy is scheduled for next week.
"This is generally a quiet place," said Andy Patel, a Sunrise Motel manager. "It's the first time something like this has happened here."
Only one other guest was staying at the motel during Wednesday night's commotion.
It is unknown how long Davis had been staying at the motel. He and his wife separated months ago, and she said he had not returned to their home since being released from jail July 3.
Davis was arrested Oct. 12 on suspicion of child molestation. He pleaded guilty to molesting a young family member at least three times in three months in 2005, officials said.
The plea deal meant he would not have had to serve any additional time in jail but would have to register as a sex offender and spend five years on probation.
Davis was deemed a fugitive last week when he failed to show up for sentencing. He faced up to 16 years in prison for failing to show up, officials said.
"He never liked to discuss much about his life," said Barbara Davis, his wife of about 19 years.
She said they were going through a divorce, and she last talked to him when he was released from jail.
"When he came out, he asked for his wallet," Davis said. "It was the only thing of his I had at the house."
Her husband liked to do crossword puzzles and was a retired police officer, she said.
Few signs of the shooting remained Thursday afternoon other than a blanket shoved through the broken window.
"After the incident, we closed down that room," Patel said.
The door of Room 4 remains tightly shut.
Correspondent Sean Smith
contributed to this report.
guess this proves the point that there are bad apples in every profession. makes you wonder though, how a cop becomes a child molester. or one better if he was a child molester before he became a cop how he went through the process successfully. i know the process does not weed out all the bad apples but none the less does surprise you when you hear something like this about an LEO.
Man believed to have shot self as officer arrived
Stacia Glenn, Staff Writers
Article Launched: 08/07/2008 09:31:58 PM PDT
REDLANDS - Behind the door of Room 4 is where the tale ended.
A Redlands police officer walked down the hall of the nine-room Sunrise Motel about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.
His destination: a room where a convicted child molester was believed to be hiding.
In hand was a warrant to arrest Walter Ward Davis, 74, for not appearing in court last week to be sentenced for continually sexually abusing a child.
The officer and a motel manager who led the way never saw the curtain move. No face peeked out the door.
But Davis somehow knew the police were closing in. Perhaps he knew the acquaintance he came face to face with earlier in the day would turn him in.
A single gunshot rang out, and the officer heard the distinct thud of a body falling. He radioed for backup.
"As our officer was approaching the door - before he even had a chance to knock on the door - a gunshot went off," said Redlands spokesman Carl Baker. "We don't really know how he knew we were coming."
It was nearly an hour before police approached Room 4 once again. An officer holding a shield in front of him broke out the window and pulled the curtain aside to look inside.
Davis was lying on the floor, a revolver beneath his body.
Preliminary reports are that Davis committed suicide. An autopsy is scheduled for next week.
"This is generally a quiet place," said Andy Patel, a Sunrise Motel manager. "It's the first time something like this has happened here."
Only one other guest was staying at the motel during Wednesday night's commotion.
It is unknown how long Davis had been staying at the motel. He and his wife separated months ago, and she said he had not returned to their home since being released from jail July 3.
Davis was arrested Oct. 12 on suspicion of child molestation. He pleaded guilty to molesting a young family member at least three times in three months in 2005, officials said.
The plea deal meant he would not have had to serve any additional time in jail but would have to register as a sex offender and spend five years on probation.
Davis was deemed a fugitive last week when he failed to show up for sentencing. He faced up to 16 years in prison for failing to show up, officials said.
"He never liked to discuss much about his life," said Barbara Davis, his wife of about 19 years.
She said they were going through a divorce, and she last talked to him when he was released from jail.
"When he came out, he asked for his wallet," Davis said. "It was the only thing of his I had at the house."
Her husband liked to do crossword puzzles and was a retired police officer, she said.
Few signs of the shooting remained Thursday afternoon other than a blanket shoved through the broken window.
"After the incident, we closed down that room," Patel said.
The door of Room 4 remains tightly shut.
Correspondent Sean Smith
contributed to this report.
guess this proves the point that there are bad apples in every profession. makes you wonder though, how a cop becomes a child molester. or one better if he was a child molester before he became a cop how he went through the process successfully. i know the process does not weed out all the bad apples but none the less does surprise you when you hear something like this about an LEO.
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