GUILTY OH - Two women, 4 kids killed in arson fire, Youngstown, 23 Jan 2008

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JanetElaine

JanetElaine

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YOUNGSTOWN — The Mahoning County Coroner has identified the six victims of a fatal arson fire on the East Side this morning.

They are: Carol Crawford, 46, her daughter Jennifer R. Crawford, 23, and Jennifer’s four children, Raneija, 8, Jeannine, 5, Aleisha, 3, and Brandon, 2.

Four teenage boys were taken into custody for questioning after the predawn fire that investigators said was intentionally set.

Investigators believe an accelerant was poured on the porch of 1645 Stewart Ave. and ignited. Within minutes, flames engulfed the five-room 1 3/4 story house.
http://www.vindy.com/news/2008/jan/23/victims-of-fatal-fire-identifiednw/?newswatch

Earlier article:
http://www.myfoxcleveland.com/myfox...n=4&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=1.1.1
 
An 18 year old has been arrested in connection with this fire. He is also suspected of setting fire to a house across the street from this one, not two weeks ago. Among more charges, he is charged with six counts of aggravated murder. http://www.wtol.com/Global/story.asp?S=7763201

What the heck is the reason for something so senseless???
 
LE said they weren't releasing a motive yet, but I wonder if he's just your average stupid arsonist or an ex-boyfriend? Or both?
 
The motive appears to have something to do with an argument over a stolen cell phone. From the articles it isn't clear to me who's cell phone it was and who's supposed to have stolen it, but there ya go. Fifty bucks in the store but no, 6 people had to die over it.

Five others escaped the fire. The mother of the arsonist had sought a protection order against Carol Crawford, but it was denied because it was based on the behavior of her minor son. He is believed to be amongst the five that got out in time.

Pictures of the 4 children, as well as the suspect, and the house at the link:

http://www.vindy.com/news/2008/jan/23/dispute-over-cell-phone-was-motive-sources-say/

What a mess.
 
All of this over a cell phone! That boy is 18 yrs and he will be lucky if he doesn't get the death penalty. He is going to have a rough time in prison because he murdered those little kids. He will no doubt be used, abused, and beaten or a regular basis. He looks like such a clean cut wholesome kid in his picture. I wonder if he has a clue what his life is going to be like from here on out? What a shame. It sounds like he was having a conflict with the other neighbors too as their porch was set on fire. Him and his mom must really be hot headed...look where it got them.
 
I can't help but wonder if something is "wrong" with this . I only saw a few seconds of him on video, and he looks kind of happy-go-lucky, even in his mugshot. Like he didn't realize WTH he did and that he's just taking a school picture.

Not excusing what he did though...

I can't help but wonder if this might be racially motivated as well. He's white, they aren't.
 
After reading the last Vindy article again, these caught my eye:

Capt. Ware had been investigating a porch arson across the street, at 1650 Stewart, that was set at 4 a.m. Jan. 1. He said Davis’ name came up but no charge was filed, and the investigation continues.

and

The city recorded a double arson homicide when Rakaylah Clark, 8, and Ranayja Clark, 4, died May 2, 2002, from smoke inhalation at 33 E. Lucius Ave. Firefighters found them huddled under clothes near a second-story bedroom window. The case remains unsolved.

He might have been a little young (or not) for the 2002 arson, but seems like there's a good chance he might have done the 2008 arson. Maybe it's not racially motivated. He's just your typical neighborhood arsonist?
 
IDK, TM... I think he's weird for sure though. I saw some more video of him on the local news and he seemed slouchy.... not happy but like he didn't give a damn (for whatever reason). I don't even know how to describe it. Like a druggie probably comes closest.

Bobbisangel, if he does get the death penalty, he won't be going far away - death row is right there in Y'town.

It's hard to tell what causes what in Youngstown anymore. So much carp going on on all levels, maybe it's time to send in the marines and do some cleaning up. This might have happened anywhere, but knowing Youngstown, who knows the underlying currents. (Let it be known I don't want to bash Y'town but something needs to be done to turn things around there... it is very sad to see what the bad renters are doing to the -what could once again be- good house, so to speak).
 
Grand jury to weigh death penalty specifications, mom says 'son is innocent' (where have we heard that before?).

http://www.vindy.com/news/2008/jan/25/grand-jury-to-weigh-death-penalty-specificationsnw/?newswatch

With pic of mom:

http://www.vindy.com/news/2008/jan/25/mom-says-son-charged-in-deadly-blaze-is-innocentnw/?newswatch

Davis said that her son’s cell phone had been stolen and that he had asked both Julius and another boy if they had it. Both denied they did, but she said that Julius then answered the cell phone.
“That hurt Michael,” she said. “Julius know how Michael was about people stealing from us and Julius sweared he didn’t take the phone.”

How am I going to be politically correct and point out the, erm, way mom talks at the same time? :rolleyes:
 
I think his mom is in serious denial. When you are up against the death penalty for killing 6 innocent people, you don't cover for anyone!
 
N'yeah. I guess she forgot about the protective order she tried to get, too:

Davis learned from watching the news later that morning that six members of the Crawford family died in the fire.
“That really hurted me,” she said. “The Crawfords was good people, they really was.”
 
That's not his mug shot, but simply a picture of him. TV showed him in his orange jumpsuit during arraignment. Terrible, terrible situation all around.
 
Taximom said:
I can't help but wonder if something is "wrong" with this . I only saw a few seconds of him on video, and he looks kind of happy-go-lucky, even in his mugshot. Like he didn't realize WTH he did and that he's just taking a school picture.

Not excusing what he did though...

I can't help but wonder if this might be racially motivated as well. He's white, they aren't.
Click to expand...


I wonder if the people who live across the street...whose porch was also set on fire were black??? That might be telling. Maybe mom hates blacks and passed it on to her son.
 
This page took forever for my pc to open, but that's not unusual! Hopefully it works better for you:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08031/853617-85.stm
Ohio arson case goes before grand jury
Thursday, January 31, 2008
By Milan Simonich, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The man suspected of setting a fire that killed six people in Youngstown, Ohio, is illiterate, but understands that he could face the death penalty, his lawyer said yesterday.

(more at link)

:(
 
Illiterate, I can believe. No further comment on the local school system. Home schooled? By whom? His mother who also gives a very good impression of an illiterate person? Why not admit he dropped out of school, as that appears to be the case.

Here we go again, playing the "poor retarded boy" card. There is a nearby case where an individual in another Ohio county has been on death row for years now for the horrible rape/murder of a young boy. That "retarded" individual has served as his own attorney in filing numerous appeals. He's also smart enough to ask the state for a new attorney, keep that one for a while, then claim they can't work together, so the state has to appoint another attorney...and the band plays on. I so hope this arson case will not be a repeat of that performance.

Just so very sad all around. There are no winners in this situation.
 
From May 2011:

http://www.vindy.com/news/2011/may/05/top-court-upholds-310-year-sentence-for-/?mobile

The Ohio Supreme Court has refused to hear the appeal of Michael A. Davis, letting stand his conviction and three-century-plus prison sentence for setting a house fire that killed six people on Youngstown’s East Side.

In announcing its dismissal of the appeal Wednesday, the top court let stand the unanimous decision by a three-judge panel of the 7th District Court of Appeals upholding Davis’ aggravated murder and aggravated arson convictions and his 310-year prison term.
Click to expand...
 
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