Saturday, April 24, 2010

Des Moines, IA: SHOOTER CONFESSION: Des Moines man pleads guilty to killing estranged wife

Jannay TowneReporter
9:04 AM CDT, April 23, 2010

Less than two weeks before he was set to stand trial for 1st degree murder, 53 year old Randy Davis pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of 2nd degree murder today. Davis was accused of killing his estranged wife Michele Cosner-Davis in 2008. She died from a gunshot to the head.

"That's the one good thing about pleading guilty because he actually you know said the words I did it," says Michele's dad Mike Cosner. His daughter and Davis were married for 17 years. "He cried the whole time he was telling that. He had a hard time talking," Cosner says.

Davis confessed to following his estranged wife on her way home from work and shooting her from his moving truck during rush traffic on I-235. His guilty plea means there won't be a trial. "By not having a trial, maybe we missed justice a little bit. But you know, we did get what we wanted. We knew he did it and he admitted that he did it," says Michele's brother Todd Cosner. He says Davis destroyed their family. "I loved Randy. He was part of my family for 17 years. I cared about him," says Cosner.

Mike Cosner agrees that "all the way around it's a tragedy." But he doesn't feel any sympathy toward his son in law. "I'm glad that it's wrapped up and I'm glad he's going to prison," he says.

Randy and Michele Cosner-Davis were in the process of getting divorced. She had filed a restraining order against him days before her death. Davis is scheduled for sentencing on May 3rd. Second degree murder carries a minimum sentence of 35 years and a maximum of 50 years.

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