Girvies Davis and Richard Holman
Girvies L. Davis | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 20, 1958 East St. Louis, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | May 17, 1995 (aged 37) |
| Cause of death | Execution by lethal injection |
| Other names | The .22 Caliber Killers |
| Motive | Robbery Witness elimination |
| Convictions | Murder (4 counts) Attempted murder |
| Criminal penalty | Death |
| Details | |
| Victims | 4–10+ (including an alleged victim who died from his injuries in 1985) |
Span of crimes | 1978–1979 |
| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| Weapon | .22 caliber rifle (confirmed) .22 caliber pistol (alleged) |
Date apprehended | August 30, 1979 |
Richard Holman | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 20, 1961 East St. Louis, Illinois, U.S. |
| Other names | The .22 Caliber Killers Ricky Holman |
| Criminal status | Incarcerated |
| Children | 2 |
| Motive | Robbery Witness elimination |
| Convictions | Murder (3 counts) Attempted murder Burglary Criminal damage to property (3 counts) |
| Criminal penalty | Life imprisonment |
| Details | |
| Victims | 4–10+ (including an alleged victim who died from his injuries in 1985) |
Span of crimes | 1978–1979 |
| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| Weapon | .22 caliber rifle (confirmed) .22 caliber pistol (alleged) |
| Imprisoned at | Pontiac Correctional Center |
Girvies L. Davis (January 20, 1958 – May 17, 1995) and Richard "Ricky" Holman (born August 20, 1961) were American serial killers who killed at least four people during robberies in Illinois between 1978 and 1979. Davis, the older of the two, told an investigator that shooting witnesses was "easier" than wearing a mask. The two were nicknamed "The .22 Caliber Killers". Davis was executed in 1995, while Holman, who was too young to face execution, is serving a life sentence.
Davis and Holman committed their crimes at the same time and in the same region as Andre Jones and Freddie Tiller. Consequently, all four men received extensive local media coverage. Davis is also believed to have been the first death row inmate to use the Internet to plead for clemency. Despite being caught red-handed, having been shot in the back by a surviving victim while fleeing the scene of a murder that he had just committed, Davis was able to convince many of his proclaimed innocence. Governor Jim Edgar received 1,200 emails worldwide demanding clemency for Davis, but he refused to intervene.