NORTH RICHLAND HILLS POLICE FATALLY SHOOT SUSPECT

NORTH RICHLAND HILLS -- A police tactical team member fatally shot the son
of a true-crime writer yesterday after he pointed a gun at officers who
burst into his home, police said.

Troy James Davis, 25, was shot twice in the chest at his house in the 8200
block of Ulster Drive. Police had gone there to serve a search-and- arrest
warrant in connection with an informant's tip that there were drugs in the
house.

Troy Davis was pronounced dead at North Hills Hospital minutes after the
shooting, police said.

It was the first fatal shooting by a Northeast Tarrant County police officer
in more than 10 years.

After the shooting, Davis' mother, Barbara Davis, 49, was arrested in
connection with the drug possession investigation, police said. She was in
the North Richland Hills Jail late yesterday. She is the author of Precious
Angels, a book about Darlie Lynn Routier of Rowlett, who was convicted of
murdering her 5-year-old son.

An hour before the shooting, state District Judge Sharen Wilson signed the
warrants in connection with an allegation of possession of a controlled
substance/marijuana.

About 17 police officers, including a tactical team, converged on the house
about 10:45 a.m., North Richland Hills police Sgt. Andy Kancel said. Two
officers were inside the house when the shooting occurred, he said.

The large number of officers sent to the house was based on the number of
people who could have been inside the residence and because Davis had a
prior weapons offense, not because of the seriousness of any potential
charge, Kancel said.

"They wanted to be able to secure the house as soon as possible," Kancel
said. "It was a tactical forced entry because we had information that the
suspect was known to be armed. We had handled him before."

Troy Davis had been charged with unlawful carrying of a weapon in North
Richland Hills in May 1998, according to Tarrant County criminal court
records. The charge was dismissed in June 1998.

Troy Davis confronted two officers in the foyer after they forced their way
in, police said.

"The suspect pointed a handgun at the officers and he never lowered it,"
Kancel said. The 9mm handgun was loaded with one bullet, which was in the
chamber and ready to fire, police said.

Officer Alan Hill twice fired his .45-caliber semiautomatic pistol, striking
Davis in the chest, police said.

"Once he saw the suspect down, the officer began CPR," Kancel said.

As Davis was being treated, other officers found and arrested Barbara Davis
in a rear bedroom, police said.

Police said they had not searched the house for drugs or weapons last night,
because the search for evidence related to the shooting took priority.
Kancel said a narcotics unit will conduct a search after the shooting search
is complete.

A neighbor described Troy Davis as a "nice kid."

"I found him to be timid, mild-mannered," neighbor Steve Jourdan said. "I
don't believe he had a job. Still, they were good neighbors. This year, they
had spent money improving their yard."

The shooting took place in a quiet neighborhood where Christmas lights line
most of the brick houses.

Troy's father, James H. Davis Jr., who was an investigator for the state of
Texas, died in 1995. Jourdan said the father died of a heart attack. The
elder Davis also had been a reserve officer with the Tarrant County
Sheriff's Department for 15 years.

Troy Davis had an older sister, Jourdan said.

"It's just shocking," Jourdan said. "This is a very quiet neighborhood. We
don't get much crime around here."

Hill was placed on administrative leave pending completion of an internal
investigation, which is a typical departmental procedure after a police
shooting, Kancel said. The case will be turned over to a Tarrant County
grand jury for consideration.

Hill, 37, has been on the force two years. He has been in law enforcement
for nine years. Kancel said he does not know of Hill being involved in any
other shootings during the two years he has been at North Richland Hills.

Barbara Davis worked in the Tarrant County district attorney's office as a
victims advocate for 10 years. She was helping La Vonne Skalias, a rape and
stalking victim, maneuver her way through the legal system when Skalias
asked Davis to write her story. Stalked: A True Story was published in 1994.

Davis' book Precious Angels, which portrayed Routier as a vicious,
coldblooded killer, was released in December 1998. Routier was sentenced to
death for the murder of her son, Damon.

Barbara Davis since has joined those who say Routier is innocent. She has
donated part of her savings and is giving a portion of the book's royalties
to Routier's defense fund.