Keiauna Davis: 27-Year-Old Wilkinsburg, Pa. Mother Gunned Down For Tax Return
Keiauna Davis was a 27-year-old mother trying to provide for her family. She had gotten her tax return and was looking forward to using her hard-earned money -- $3,000 -- to provide for her children.
But there was one other person in her circle that knew she had just gotten the money. Her co-worker, identified by authorities as Laya Whitley, apparently texted a man, Dane Taylor, telling him about Davis' tax return money.
According to WTAE, Whitley allegedly told Taylor in a text message, "This girl at my job brought 7 bands to work ain't that some s***." A following text to Whitley said, "It's a go delete all dez text."
That's when authorities said a third suspect, Kaijin Scott, went to go pick up Taylor in his car. Scott said that he was told that a Taylor needed to go see a girl to get some money. They went to the back of a Dollar General store.
Scott claims Taylor got out of the car and when he came back in he had a gun in his hand and a mask on his face. This is what happened next, according to WTAE:
Scott told police Taylor received a text on his phone which said ,"Go!" At that point, he followed Taylor's directions, leading them to the victim, Davis, walking up Laketon Road. Scott was told to pull ahead of the victim, get out, and pretend to be fixing the car.
Davis had just finished her shift at Dollar General and was walking home to be with her two little daughters. She saw the man with the gun and broke out running, according to media accounts of the incident. She ran into an open field in an attempt to get away, but she fell. That's when a struggle of some kind took place, and Davis was shot.
The gunman got up and ran back toward the car with a purse full of the $3,000. He came back moments later to retrieve a cellphone, authorities said.
Badly injured and bleeding, Davis can be seen on security video crawling toward the sidewalk, according to CBS Pittsburgh.
Responding officers found Davis laying on the sidewalk suffering from a bullet wound. She was rushed to U.P.M.C. Presbyterian Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
“I can’t believe someone places so little value on someone else’s life for $3,000,” Sheila Detwiler, Ms. Davis’ mother, told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Davis worked two jobs -- Dollar General and Wendys -- to support her two daughters. She had been living with tragedy for most of her life: When she was 8 years old her father committed suicide, according to news reports.
Now, Davis' mother will have to raise her two granddaughters, most likely in Charlotte, according to local media.
Authorities have arrested all three of the suspects, who are facing charges of robbery and murder.