Sheila “Sandy” Davis

Warning, this episode contains graphic crime scene detail and maybe sensitive for some listeners. All witnesses, purss of interest, and suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Welcome to Primetime Crime. I'm your host, Kylie. Let's talk right now in true crime, and then together we are going to work on warming up some cold cases. Let's go. Hey, guys, welcome to another episode of Primetime Crime. It's Kylie. We are going to dive in to right now in true crime, and then we're going to get into the episode. So a few housekeeping things. Trial updates. The Maricopa County Court House received an email on Wednesday from somebody saying that Lori Valdabel needed to be made aware that there was a juror who after the fact commented something about being aware that she was already serving a life sentence. And I remember hearing this comment, and I do believe that in a later interview he cleared it up and said he mispoke, he misunderstood the question. But still this motion has been made that she be said the video, So that is kind of where things stand on that. And also catch me never wanting to be a juror, because I would absolutely say something like this and have it taken out of context, because I think it's really easy in the moment to misspeak and to say something that maybe you didn't meet it to come across like that. Because as soon as those jurors left the courthouse, everyone wanted to talk to them. Everybody wanted a statement, and it makes sense. They were a jury for one of the most high profile cases in the country over the last six years. They had a lot writing on their shoulders, and people want to know, how did you not know about this? Are you sure you didn't know about her sentences? You had no prior knowledge all of that. So it is super easy in my opinion, to get up in that and to misspeak. But I will keep you guys updated on that. I know the juror didn't need any harm and he cleared it up, So I personally don't think that it's going to be any issue, but you never know because it's Lori Valde Bell and things are not normal around her. So there was a hearing today in the upcoming Donald Adelson trial. Her team is seeking a continuance, saying that they need more time to go through these emails that they have received. There's a lot of emails. I heard over one hundred thousand emails and wiretaps, a bunch of different things that they have received, and they want to postpone the trial because the trial is scheduled to begin June third. So I'll keep you updated on everything with that. And I don't know when the judge is officially going to roll on it, but I personally am ready for Donna to go to try because I'm ready for there to be justice for Dan Markel, full justice for Dan Markel. Although my personal opinion is I don't think that full justice will ever come until Wendy Adelson is charged in some way, shape or form. I do not know if that will ever happen. But again that is just my opinion on the matter. So we'll keep you updated on that one. The Karen Ree. Trial is still in full effect and it has been a little bit of a crazy week. We've had several different people testifying. We've had Jennifer McCabe who was at the scene. She was friends with John O'Keefe, so her testimony has been ongoing between the state and then the cross examination by the defense. It has been very very interesting. I honestly don't have thoughts right now. I'm trying to really take all of the information in see how both sides are presenting things. I do have my personal opinion on Karen Reid and her innocence versus her guilt, but I'm trying to look at the trial with an open mind and look at how everything is presented. And I don't feel like the defense is doing a horrible job at this point in time. I feel like they have been. Able to poke some holes in quite a bit, but again that is just my opinion. I've been trying to keep up the best I can with all of the trial happenings, but it has been so much I feel like I have done nothing but listen to testimony and trials for the last month, between Lori Valo and this one and all the upcoming trials. It's going to be such a busy, busy summer with trials. But I am definitely doing my best to try to keep up with everything. So if anything more happens in Karen Reid, I will be sure to keep you guys updated. I think the. Trial's probably going to go on seven eight weeks, so we still have quite a ways to go. Okay, last thing I want to talk about. It's honestly been on my radar for a hot but I have my own little so to say, conspiracy about this whole thing. But over the weekend, a guy went missing in Nashville. He was in Nashville from Canada. He was there, I believe, with the hockey team, and then he went missing. His phone and ID were found, but he was nowhere to be found. It was definitely giving off Riley Strain vibes. Everybody was worried, everybody was concerned. His family posted on social media trying to get the word out that he was missing. So he ended up being found Adam McDonald's in Nashville, safe but unsure of what. Had happened to him. He was bruised up and he didn't have any recollection of what had happened to him. So obviously there's a lot to unpack with that. Now. I know Nashville is a party town. People go there, people drink, but there is something more going on in Nashville. And I would beg that. It's probably going on other places as well, other party towns. Austin to just name another place that is kind of on my radar because there has also been a lot of mysterious deaths in Austin and they're not being investigated as suspicious because the people are allegedly drunk and falling into the lake and hence there's no reason to really say that it's suspicious. But Austin's been a party town literally for ever, and now there's all these other just random deaths that are happening. So with this guy being found in Nashville, he didn't really have any recollection of what happened to him, but there was a ton and I mean a ton of comments from people who were saying that there is a lot of drugging that is going on in Nashville bars, especially on Broadway, and these drugs are obviously potent enough that people are passing out and they're not remembering what's happening to them, if they're being robbed, if they're being beaten up, whatever the case may be. But the drugs are also quickly metabolizing in their system, so when they do go to a hospital to get checked out, nothing is showing up in their system. So there is. A journalist who works in Tennessee named Nick Barris. He works for. News Channel five there and a lot of people were tagging him in this post looking for this missing guy, and then when he was found, a lot of people were tagging him in what's going on? So he said, this is how quickly a person who drinks a spike cocktail could collapse. And there's a video I posted recently about how so many people have reported to me that they believe they were drugged and robbed while partying at clubs in downtown Nashville. I've reported on cases where people are drinking with others and the next thing they know, they wake up with their valuables gone and no memory of what happened some visitors. Some believe visitors with money are being targeted by thieves who spike their drinks. It is case after case, though victims do not always report it to police, but they do contact me about being victimized. How does it happen? Some believe a large variety of drugs can be used. One is called scopolamine or devil's breath. It has a short detection window and metabolizes quickly and may not show up in standard toxicology screens. It can make you forget what happened for hours, even days. This video was sent to me from a security camera. It shows what was believed to be a victim who may have been drugged. Watch how the drug hits suddenly and hard witnesses say, this guy had just left Lower Broadway in Nashville and was waiting outside another club. He was talking, acting fine than how he went out. There was no indication he was having a medical emergency or was just blind drunk. He just suddenly collapsed. Was he drugged, That's not for certain, but he sure fell fast. You just have to use caution when you're. Out and be aware. And I will tag and post this in these show notes so you can see it, because, let me tell you, it is wild. And I have had my own theory and beliefs about what is going on in Nashville, Rainy Street, in Austin. There's been a lot going on. I do believe that there is drugs being placed in drinks. People aren't aware of it, and this kind of stuff is happening. There was also another gal I saw that was at an all inclusive resort in Mexico, and she and her friend also had a situation where they woke up and they had no recollection of what had happened, but their room had been ransacked and they had been robbed, and obviously that has to be so traumatizing for two females who are alone in another country by themselves. I more or less say this just to kind of put it out there, because we are literally living in the most unsafest situation I feel like our country has ever been in, because people are getting more and more brazen with what they do and how they're going about it. And if they're able to do something in such a way where you you don't have any recollection of what happened, then you don't go to the police, then there is an investigation. If you fall into the lake because you are drugged and you end up dying, then there's no investigation because it's looked at as an accident. Oh you drink too much, Oh you party too hard. But there's more going on, in my opinion, and we all just need to be hyper aware and hyper vigilant in all of these situations and never leave your buddy, always have someone around you that you can trust, and don't trust anybody when you're traveling, because people are insane these days, and I feel like they're praying on Taurus and people who are out to have a good time and are letting their guard down. As you should be able to on vacation. But it's just so crazy how much we're seeing this now, and these situations could turn are really bad, really really quickly. So PSA, watch yourself, watch your friends, stay away where, and don't trust anybody that you meet out, whether it is somebody that is working and is the bartender, or somebody that you meet at the club or the bar, or whatever the case may be. I feel like Nashville especially has seen such an uptick in this kind of stuff. And the comments on when that guy was missing and his brother was looking for him, the comments on there, it was insane how many people who live in Nashville or outside of Nashville were commenting that they're aware of what's going on, and nobody is really talking about it. So I wanted to bring light to it. Because Nashville is such a big tourist town. It's become all the rage for bachelorette parties, girls' trips, all of the different things. There's a lot of fun things to do in Nashville. I've been to Nashville before. It's a fun time. It is a really cool place, but Broadway after dark just terrifies me, if I'm being honest. So anyways, PSA, if you're going, please stay safe, please be aware, and just realize that, unfortunately, there are bad people out there and they blend in with the common folk. They don't look like bad people. And that is really the biggest takeaway is that the people that are doing bad things look like you and me, unfortunately. So with all of that being said, thank you for coming to my Ted Talk, and we are going to go ahead and get into this week's episode. Okay, guys, today we are jumping into a brand new unsolved case. I'm going to be telling you about the unsolved homicide of a woman named Sheila Sandy Davis. Sandy was only twenty three years old and living in Indiana at the time of her tragic death that occurred in nineteen seventy nine. Now, this episode may be a little shorter than normal because there isn't a lot of information out there about Sandy's death. I stumbled upon her story on Reddit and thought that it deserved to be spotlighted on the podcast because at the end of the day, my podcast is all about bringing light and attention to these lesser known cases, the cases that very much need our attention and deserve our attention. And Sandy's story is that story, and it's one of those that we just can't let fade into the background because her life mattered and getting resolution in this one is necessary, and I do believe it's very possible she was killed in a very horrific way and her killer has yet to face justice. Sheila von Davis was born on July seventeenth of nineteen fifty six in Texas to her parents, George Hunter and Ola Hunter. She had six siblings, two brothers and four sisters. Her father was remarried and her stepmother was mentioned in her obituary. I also said that it did appear that she went by the name Sandy, so I am going to be calling her that throughout this episode. Now, there isn't a ton of information about Sandy's life, but it does seem at one point she was married and at the time of her death she was divorced. Somewhere along the line in Sandy's life, she found herself working in the sex work industry, and she was living in Indianapolis, Indiana. Like many young people, I'm sure she was just thrust into this lifestyle, whether it be as just a means to make money or she was brought into that situation by somebody that she knew, and she basically probably did it as a way to survive and get by day to day. She mainly worked out of a place called the Red Garter Lounge, which is still in operation today in Indiana. However, it's now located in a different area of downtown Indianapolis than it was back in the late seventies when Sandy would frequent there. I'm going to do a little history on the Red Garter Inn because I love looking at history of places, and I do think it's pertinent to our story to kind of talk about the Red Garter Lounge because it is the last place that Sandy was last seen alive, which we'll get into in a lie a little bit, and I think it's just interesting, so we're going to talk about it. In nineteen seventy two, the Nauseem family started the bar known as the Red Garter at the corner of Washington Street and Sennett Street in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana, based on the idea of good food and good entertainment. The na Gems kept up the good menu of food items with regular adult feature entertainers. In the late nineteen eighties and early nineteen nineties, the city of Indianapolis wanted to annex the property the Red Garter was sitting on for the construction of a hotel. The Red Garter then moved to its current location at the corner of Illinois Street and Henry Street, across from the old Calderon Textiles plant. The walls of the building were constructed of thick, solid brick, and the roof of the building was held on by large wooden posts that ran in two rows down the middle of the building. The main stage was arrow shaped. In the entertainment section of the room, A small feature and entertainer stage was directly to the left of the entrance to the section. The main bar was to the right of the stage. Two pool tables were in the back of the room, and the couch was alternately on the left and right side of the room. The front of the building consisted of a dining room with seating for approximately thirty people and a barroom that was the local watering hole for regular guests. The bar was bought by another family in nineteen ninety four, and this was going to be their second venture into this business, so they decided that they wanted to run it a little differently. So the secondary bar ended up being closed. They also closed the dining room, and they scaled back quite a ways in regards to what they offered and what they did in the kitchen. In July of nineteen ninety eight, they started a makeover for the Red Guarter. They shut down the bar for almost seven months for a complete remodeling from the concrete floor up. At one time the building had four walls, three doors, and a safe. The concrete floor was busted up, the roof was non existent, and the safe was too heavy to move without machinery. Slowly, the new building, which was complete with the steel reinforced roof, began to take shape. A VIP room and entertainer dressing room became the second story. A large main bar was constructed in the front of the room, and three smaller stages were constructed and placed. And like I said, this place still remains in operation today and it is a very very very important part of her story. So in nineteen seventy eight, a year before her death, Sandy was arrested at the Red Guarter Lounge for soliciting an undercover police officer. Following her arrest, it was reported that Sandy became super cautious when taking on clients and would only have encounters with those that were established clients, those that she knew, or those that others who she worked with were familiar with and could basically say that they were an okay person and not an undercover cop. On October twelfth of nineteen seventy nine, around two am, a woman named Kathy Williams rushed into a diner located on the four hundred block of West Washington Street in Indianapolis, and she informed a police officer who was sitting inside drinking coffee that her friend, Sandy Davis was dead in their motel room. Now I'm not fully sure if this woman was a fellow sex worker, but I would assume so, and that they probably both would bring potential clients there and would essentially take turns bringing their clients there. The motel seemed to be in pretty close proximity to the diner that Kathy went to. They were both on West Washington Street. Sandy was found in Room one twenty six at the travel Lodge West Motel that was located at four hundred and three West Washington Street. The motel, of course, no longer exists. It is not there. The land is used as something else. But I was able to find a rendering of it and I will be sure to post that on my Instagram and Facebook pages with how it looked back. In nineteen seventy nine. So Sandy was found nude, with her pantyhose around her ankles in a prone position so she was facing down. Her feet were bound with what appeared to be a white clothesline rope, and her hands had been tied behind her back with a gold colored rope. However, her friend had admitted to investigators that before she realized Sandy was dead, that she had untied her hands. There was a black dress that laid near Sandy's body, and it appeared that it had been ripped from her body, as it was kind of torn and tattered, and Sandy's purse was on the floor and the contents of her purse were spilled out on the bed. Investigators were unsure if anything was missing or taken from her purse. An autopsy was performed and the coroner said that there were several marks just below the front of Sandy's throat, which they believe indicated that she he was attacked with a straight razor with a nicked edge, and the person that did this made several attempts before succeeding in taking Sandy's life. Her left breast had also been mutilated. So here's what we know. Sandy was last seen at the Red Guarter Lounge that night around midnight. Now the Red Garter Lounge at the time was located at twenty two South Senate Street. She was last seen leaving with the man that is described as a white male around forty five years old, six foot tall, two hundred and fifty pounds, balding with a heavy build, and he also had a pock marked face and was last seen wearing light clothing, and they do believe that this individual was carrying a knife on him. Investigators thought that robbery could have potentially been a motive, as Sandy was known to carry large sums of money on her and she usually carried them under a hair piece that she wore, and there were oftentimes that she would carry up to two hundred dollars in her hair, and that's a lot of money. Back in nineteen seventy nine. Now when they found Sandy, her hair piece was still intact. At the time of Sandy's murder, she was reportedly one of about thirty prostitutes in the Indianapolis area, and investigators theorized that she might have been a victim of a pimp feud or some type of love triangle type of situation. And I honestly think that they just kind of went with this and speculated because they didn't have any other leads, necessarily, and especially after investigators were told that Sandy was very careful following her arrest in the year previous, and that she didn't really like to entertain people that she didn't trust or didn't really know. So I think they just kind of went with this narrative that it must have been essentially an inside job and maybe it was an issue with the pimp or there was jealousy amongst the group of them. We really don't know. Also, at the time of Sandy's death, there were allegedly about six prostitutes who were all working out of the Red Garter tavern. Now, I don't know if. This type of behavior was par for the course of the Red Garter tavern back then, but they advertised themselves as a gentleman's club. But one had to assume that back in nineteen seventy nine there was probably some prostitution stuff going on, especially if there was thirty prostitutes in Indianapolis at the time and six of them pretty much congregated at the Red Garter Inn. Now, interestingly enough, one of the articles I found said that the man that Sandy is suspected to have been seen with well right before she was murdered, could have been a professional wrestler, which I feel like as a whole extra layer to the story. And I assume that this is coming from patrons that went to the Red Garter tavern back in those days, and maybe they were familiar with this man, but they maybe have some loyalty, So that is why this man has evaded law enforcement for all of this time. But that is a very specific person. If it is a professional wrestler, was a professional wrestler back in nineteen seventy nine, and they obviously have a distinct look because they have this pockmark face, which not everybody has that, And there's a pretty accurate. Description of this person. So despite that and all of the speculation that this person could have been a professional wrestler. They were never able to locate anybody to bring in for questioning, and Sandy's murder still remains a mystery to this very day. And I say it all the time on this podcast that all lives matter, all homicides, and all victims matter, and Sandy's story is just as important as anyone else's story. And I feel like this is. One that needs all the attention that it can get because this person could potentially still be out there and they're obviously a heinous individual who doesn't value life, doesn't value women, and they've probably done this since they did as to Sandy. I would really like to know where this case stands from an investigative standpoint. If they've gone back through, they've questioned witnesses from around that time, if they went back and talked to people who were working at the Red Garter Inn at the time, if they've talked to patrons, if they've really gone back through and taken the time to talk to these people, gone back through the witness list and maybe tried to speak with people and track people down that were present at the motel that evening and might have seen something. There are so many things that I feel like could be done in present day to try and solve this case. But I am not sure if any of this is actually happening because I cannot find anything about it. So unfortunately, I think that this is one of the cases that exists out there that isn't getting any at time at all. So that is exactly the reason I decided to cover it, because I think it's important. Hopefully we can get Sandy's story out there, even to just a few more people, and maybe somebody out there will know something and come forward. You never know the person that is going to have a missing piece and the day that they realize that they have that missing piece and they didn't even know it, or maybe loyalties have changed, and whoever this person was confided in somebody many many years ago in nineteen seventy nine, and now in twenty twenty five, they're no longer loyal to that person and they're not afraid of that person anymore, and they decide that it's finally time to come forward. But the pressure has to be put on, and we have to be putting these cases out there so hopefully they get solved and there's some resolution and some forward movement in Sandy's case because her case matters and she deserves justice after all of these years. Is the story of Sandy Davis. I know it's a little bit on the shorter side than what I typically do, but just because her story doesn't have a lot of public information and details doesn't mean that it's any less important. So I did want to cover it. So thank you for sticking with me for Sandy's story. I am going to be posting a few different photos on my Instagram and Facebook pages that pertain to this case, so be sure that you are following me over there. Also, whatever streaming platform you guys listen on, if you don't mind leaving me a review, five stars is fantastic. If you have any suggestions or constructive feedback, email me Primetime Crime at gmail dot com, and I am going to keep putting out these episodes for you. I really enjoy the cold case rabbit holes that I get myself in week to week with all of these cases. I still very much enjoy doing these episodes weekly and putting out the content for you guys. So also stay. Tuned for Summer series twenty twenty five that's going to be starting in June. I decided I'm going to be releasing those episodes on Monday one every week or every other week, depending on how quick I can get them out and recorded and researched, because there is a lot of information in the summer series, so stay tuned for that, and we will still be doing every Thursday evening will be a unsolved cold case or a case that was finally solved after many, many years of investigative work and families pouring their all into solving their loved ones cases. I love being able to bring in some solved cases as well that were cold for decades, because I think it's important to realize that some of these cases we talk about. Are very solvable. You just have to get all of the pieces of the puzzle and fit them all back together. So as always, thank you than you guys so much for joining today and listening to Sandy Story. I will see you next week for a brand new unsolved case. Have a great weekend and stay safe. I'll see you then. Bye.