Blood on a wall inside a Dallas home helped investigators identify a suspect in the 1993 killing of Tommie Davis, leading to an arrest more than 33 years later, police said.
Officers arrested Gary Len Ross, 56, on Friday, October 2, on a capital murder charge. He remained at the Lew Sterrett Justice Center when the Dallas Police Department announced the arrest Saturday.
The May 18, 1993, discovery of Davis’ body inside her home in the 1500 block of Haskell Avenue launched the investigation. Police said someone had beaten Davis, 55, with a two-by-four and slashed her with a knife.
Investigators initially had few leads beyond minor damage to the front door and missing items. The case eventually went cold.
DNA match led to an alias
Detective Andrea Isom later reopened the investigation and submitted several pieces of evidence for forensic testing. Testing showed that blood on a wall inside the home did not belong to Davis, police said.
Investigators entered the DNA profile into the Combined DNA Index System, or CODIS, which returned a match to Tommy Lynn Jones. Police identified that name as an alias Ross used.
Isom obtained an arrest warrant using evidence that included Ross’s connection to Davis and the manner of her killing, police said. The department did not explain that connection in its release.
Ross faces an accusation of capital murder; the arrest does not establish guilt.
Detective pursued another Dallas cold case
Isom also helped advance the investigation into Ruby Battee’s 1986 killing after a DNA match, as previously reported by The Dallas Express. Dallas police announced a capital murder charge against Marvin Lee Holloway in that case in May.
“The Dallas Police Department is committed to pursuing justice in every case, no matter how much time has passed,” Maj. Bobbie Epperson of the department’s CAPERS Unit said in the release.
Police said the Davis investigation continues under case No. 19930383386. Anyone with information can contact Isom at 214-671-3701 or [email protected].
