Marion man faces up to 50 years for killing girlfriend in 2017

CEDAR RAPIDS — A Marion man has been convicted for a second time in the fatal stabbing of his girlfriend, whose body was concealed for about three days in a roll of carpet in 2017.

Greg Davis, 30, was convicted of first-degree murder by a jury in 2018, but the Iowa Supreme Court overturned it in 2020, ruling a judge erred in leaving out of jury instructions his insanity defense.

Davis was given a new trial but waived his right to a jury trial, and instead asked for a bench, or non-jury, trial. It was held in September. Friday, 6th Judicial District Judge Sean McPartland found Davis guilty of a lesser charge — second-degree murder.

McPartland, in his ruling, said Davis on Sept. 28, 2017, fatally stabbed girlfriend Carrie Davis, 29, of Marion, under diminished responsibility that didn’t allow him to form specific intent necessary for a conviction of first-degree murder.

McPartland said there was no disagreement among the prosecution and defense experts that Davis stabbed Carrie Davis 26 times while under the influence of methamphetamine-induced psychosis. According to Dr. Arnold Andersen, Davis intended to kill his girlfriend, but his reasoning was impaired by his substance abuse and “he thought that doing so was morally right.”

McPartland, in his ruling, said the prosecution proved the other elements of first-degree murder but not specific intent.

Davis armed himself with a dangerous weapon — a knife — which showed he acted with malice aforethought, and the number of stab wounds revealed a “deliberate or fixed purpose” to do harm.

Investigators found a torn up confession written by Davis and left in his truck, according to testimony. “I stabbed Carrie in a vicious attack four days ago when I was on drugs and I believe possessed by the devil,” according to testimony. “I am truly sorry and apologize to her friends and family. She is in the trailer. She was the love of my life,” the note stated.

The night of the stabbing, both Davises used meth and then had an argument. He told one psychologist he let her hit him because it wasn’t out of anger. He told another she was yelling at him and being aggressive before he stabbed her.

A third psychologist, Arthur Konar, who testified at trial, said Davis told him he wanted to kill Carrie Davis and did.

Carrie Davis had two stab wounds to head, 10 on her thorax and 14 wounds on her hands, arms, shoulders and legs. The two wounds to her back penetrated her lungs, according to testimony.

McPartland rejected an expert’s testimony that Carrie Davis was already dead from a drug overdose when Davis stabbed her. Other experts who testified at trial said that the location of her wounds would have required her body to be moving, according to the ruling.

McPartland rejected Davis’ argument that he should be found not guilty by reason of insanity. According to Iowa law, Davis, at the time of stabbing, would have to suffer from a mental condition that would prevent him from understanding the “nature and quality” of the crime or from distinguishing between right and wrong.

Davis’ meth-induced psychosis was a temporary condition that quickly resolved after he wasn’t under its influence, McPartland said. Evidence of this includes Davis tearing up a note confessing to killing her and his efforts to conceal her death.

On Oct. 1, 2017, Davis, driving his pickup truck with an attached utility trailer and carrying a roll of carpet, went to see his mother and told her he killed Carrie Davis and rolled her up in the carpet, according to testimony.

Kathy Davis, who testified, said she didn’t check to see if a body was in the carpet or call 911 about what her son told her.

Davis then took the trailer to his parents’ vacant rental property and left it with the roll of carpet, according to testimony. Kathy Davis finally called the police to say her son may have hurt Carrie Davis.

Police found Davis at his parents and he was arrested. They found her body on the trailer at the rental property.

Davis faces up to 50 years and must serve a minimum of 35 years before being eligible for parole. His sentencing is set for April 28.

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