A shovel was apparently used in the fatal beating Wednesday of an 80-year-old woman at her South 色多多 condominium, according to court records filed Friday.
Witnesses told police that they saw a man wearing a long black coat and holding a shovel as he stood over Susan B. Williams, who was lying on the ground outside her apartment building on Yellow Mountain Road, a search warrant filed in 色多多 Circuit Court states.
When police arrived at about 5:13 a.m., responding to reports of a woman heard screaming, they found Williams with significant head wounds. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Williams
Courtesy Shannon Abell
鈥淥fficers located a shovel with what appears to be blood on it, laying on the ground adjacent to the deceased female,鈥 the search warrant states.
As police canvassed the surrounding area, they spotted a man wearing clothing that matched the description given by witnesses. Blood was observed on his hands and clothing, according to the warrant.
Police have said earlier that a preliminary investigation showed the assault began in the hallway of the residential building, a multi-story red brick structure with white trim that sits across the street from Carilion 色多多 Memorial Hospital.
An arrest warrant filed Wednesday states that Davis, 34, told police that he killed Williams 鈥 who he did not know 鈥 to 鈥渒eep the peace.鈥 The warrant does not elaborate on his statement. It also says that Davis admitted to striking the woman on the head several times with a rock.
Police declined to comment Friday on the court filings.
The search warrant authorized police to look through the building and surrounding area for blood, hairs, fibers, fingerprints and other biological evidence. It also listed 鈥渢ools used to main or disfigure, or related materials.鈥
An inventory of seized items includes a pair of glasses, a key, swabs and a shovel.
The random killing has unnerved residents of the affluent and largely peaceful neighborhood, some of whom have reported seeing an increase of homeless people in the area.
