Maj. Scott Reeve, Middletown’s acting police chief, said a detective has been assigned to the case. He said the video camera on the front of the Norfolk Southern Railroad wasn’t working at the time of the accident and no suicide note was found. When asked how Davis died, Reeve said: “We may never know. I don’t want to speculate.”
A passerby called police at around 7:50 a.m. Tuesday about a person on the tracks, said Maj. David Birk, who added it appears Davis was hit by a train sometime Monday night or Tuesday morning.
“There is a dead body right here on this train tracks you need to get someone up here,” the 911 caller said. “I am going to say he was hit by a train.”
Meanwhile, family members said they are looking for answers because his death “makes no sense,” according to his cousin, Tonia Medley. She said Davis lived with her in the 600 block of Wicoff Street. She said Davis left Monday night with two men in a car, and that was the last time she saw or talked to him.
“We are looking for answers and we need closure,” Medley said Friday afternoon while siting on her couch. “He didn’t walk in front of no train. That doesn’t sound right. That was not like him. I never thought something like this would happen.”
His second cousin, Maurice Herrin, sitting across the living room, said he still can’t believe Davis is dead.
“I’m still waiting for him to walk through that door,” Herrin said. “He was always joking, clowning around.”
They said Davis loved watching TV game shows and westerns and playing the Ohio Lottery. He frequently walked to D’s Market on Sutphin Street to buy tickets and his favorite beer. The market is accepting donations for his funeral.
Davis leaves behind two children, a grandson and two great-grandchildren, Medley said. His funeral services are set from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Oct. 19 at Donald Jordan Memorial Chapel, 3520 Roosevelt Blvd.
