Johnson City, Tennessee. On April 18, 2021, a horrific discovery was made in the parking lot of the Appalachian Funeral Home in Johnson City, Tennessee. A fluffy orange and white cat had been brutally attacked and tortured – the body left behind like unwanted trash.

The cat’s paws were bound in duct tape, there was obvious head trauma, and a bloodied screwdriver was found nearby.

The sick crime shocked people near and far, and Animal Victory had created a petition and offered a $500 reward with the hope that it would help the authorities find the person behind the criminal act.

Finally, an arrest has been made!! The authorities have identified 19-year-old Deamion R. Davis as the person responsible for torturing and killing the cat found in April.  On October 19, Davis was arrested for aggravated animal cruelty and booked into the Washington County Detention Center on a $10,000 bond.

Forensic evidence evaluated by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s laboratory led to Davis’ arrest.

More is now known about the victimized cat – according to an affidavit from Washington County General Sessions Court, the cat’s owner had left the feline with a friend while she went out of town. The cat, who was allowed to go outside, vanished on April 16. It has been reported that a woman who  “did not agree with how [the friend] was taking care of the cat,” had picked up the orange cat while it was outside and proceeded to give it away on Craigslist. The outcome of that woman’s actions is horrific.

The monster behind this heinous crime has been identified and charged; now we must collect as many signatures as possible to convince court officials that ONLY the maximum punishment for his charge will do. A slap on the wrist plea deal would only serve to diminish the seriousness of this criminal act. Please add your name today to put Deamion R. Davis away for as long as possible. We will also be asking the court to forbid Davis from owning, or living with, an animal in the future.

Find the original petition at this link.

Individuals are presumed innocent until being found guilty in a court of law.

Final Update: After speaking with a court official, Animal Victory learned that Davis plead “under diversion” which means after his 30 days in jail ( we were informed that he started that sentence on 8/29) and three years of successful probation, this will be expunged from his record. He had to give up companion animals (if he had any) and cannot have an animal until after probation. He must also undergo a psych evaluation. Our thanks to everyone who supported Animal Victory’s fight for justice in this disturbing case. 

Update 9/12/2022: This case has been disposed of. The last court date was August 29, 2022, and the disposition date was September 9, 2022. We are still actively trying to find further details on this.   We have also received this message from the grandmother of  Oliver the cat.

Oliver original owner message to AV

Davis

Update 8/18/2022: Animal Victory has been in contact with the woman who rescued, and then rehomed the cat via Craigslist. The woman has told us that the cat was not “left with a friend,” it was abandoned by owners who moved away and never came back. According to the woman, the cat was left in an apartment with a “drunk, abusive” man. The man allegedly threw the cat out into the parking lot, screaming “get this f*cking thing out of my home.” The woman who rehomed the cat tells Animal Victory that she was unable to keep the cat herself because of her work schedule and because she had pets of her own. She tried to contact the humane society, but stated that their “hours were difficult because of covid,” and she resorted to using Craigslist, a platform that she had never had problems with in the past. The man that came to adopt the cat was not charged a rehoming fee but he did not set off any “red flags.” The woman told Animal Victory, “It’s a horrible and disgusting thing what this guy did to this animal and it haunts me every day. But what’s also disgusting is the people who lied to the news to gain a reward and how they covered up how they abandoned their cat and then gave to an abusive drunk who then threw the cat outside violently and never inquired about it again.”

Update 7/15/2022: The next scheduled court date is 8/29/2022 at 10:00 am

Update 5/26/2022: Animal Victory has 25,213 signatures to the District Attorney.

Update 4/13/2022: Animal Victory has the following updates for this case:

• Plea Deadline 06/20/2022 9:00 a.m. Stacy Street 
• Appearance Hearing 04/04/2022 9:00 a.m. Stacy Street Continuance Granted

Update 3/3/2022: Animal Victory has learned that there is a Status Hearing on March 14, followed by the first appearance for the trial on April 4, 2022.

Update 11/30/2021: Animal Victory has learned that the next criminal hearing is scheduled for January 25, 2022, at 1:30 p.m.

Update 11/8/2021: Animal Victory has sent 17,393 signatures along with our Petition Letter to General Sessions.

Petition Letter

News:

WKRN News

Johnson City Press

Animal-Protection-Laws-of-Tennessee-2020-Animal-Legal-Defense-Fund

*Individuals are presumed innocent until being found guilty in a court of law.