The Knox County Sheriff's Office released new information regarding an unsolved homicide case in Gambier.
On Dec. 20, 2009 at approximately 10:54 a.m., the Knox County Sheriff's Office received a call that Jean Davis, residing on Dennis Church Road, Gambier, was found unresponsive in the back yard of her residence. It was determined that Davis had a gunshot wound to the head and was deceased. While at the Dennis Church Road residence, detectives discovered that Davis's 2002 tan Chevy Avalanche Z 71 truck was missing. The following day, the Chevy Avalanche was located in the city of Newark.
Since that time, detectives along with investigators from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, have continued to pursue leads and respond to tips in an effort to solve the murder. In March of 2024, detectives met with the Bureau of Criminal Investigation Cold Case Division to update the case with the latest forensic DNA analysis. This analysis works to build a DNA profile of the suspect using recovered DNA samples.
In November 2024, Sheriff David Shaffer of the Knox County Sheriff's Office learned that the Stark County Sheriff’s Office successfully utilized Parabon Nanolabs to assist with a cold case investigation in the Canton, Ohio area. Knox County Sheriff’s Office detectives have contacted Parabon Nanolabs and have requested assistance in the Jean Davis case.
"We are hopeful that utilizing technology that is now available, we can build a DNA profile to identify a potential suspect in the case," said Shaffer.
Anyone with additional information is encouraged to leave a tip or contact the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation at 330.659.4607 or the Knox County Sheriff's Office at 740.399.3959.
