Girvies L. Davis (January 20, 1958 – May 17, 1995) and Richard "Ricky" Holman (born August 20, 1961)[1] were American serial killers who killed at least four people during robberies in Illinois between 1978 and 1979.
Davis and Holman committed their crimes at the same time and in the same region as Andre Jones and Freddie Tiller.
As detailed more fully in the “Aftermath” section below, Holman testified that he did not personally witness or participate in any of the murders, which were committed by Davis.
[4] On July 13, 1979, Davis and Holman shot 83-year-old Esther Sepmeyer, a blind woman, execution-style as she was kneeling in front of her bed, praying for her life.
A lawnmower, a replica antique radio, a stereo, a color TV, and a .22-caliber semi-automatic rifle were stolen.
[5] The alleged and confirmed victims were: Frieda Miller, 78; Edward Campbell, 35; Mary Prestito, 39; Charles Biebel, 89; Marvin Fourt, 25; James Perdue, 63; John Oertel, 84; Esther Sepmeyer, 83; and Frank Cash, 21.
Crangle was shot four times and died of his injuries six years later, at the age of 52, having suffered three bullets to the abdomen and one to the throat.
[8] Davis was convicted of four counts of murder for killing Charles Biebel, John Oertel, Frank Cash, and Esther Sepmeyer.
[3] During his sentencing hearing, Davis's wife, Cindy, testified that he was not a violent man and she would visit him in prison if he was spared execution.
The judge told Holman that he did not believe he could be rehabilitated since he had shown no remorse, and that the life term was necessary to protect the public.
[14] Another man, Keith Harris, was wrongfully convicted of the attempted murder of Mark Resmann and sentenced to 50 years in prison in 1979.
On December 4, 1978, Resmann, a gas station clerk, was shot seven times, but survived, after giving $200 to two robbers.
[19] Jean Biebel Moore described finding her father's body while delivering groceries three days before Christmas.
"[20] While on death row, Davis learned to read and became an ordained minister, serving as a spiritual adviser to other inmates.
He was pronounced dead at 12:28 a.m.[22] Holman remains in prison to this day, and is serving his sentence at Pontiac Correctional Center.
At this hearing, Holman testified for the first time about the murders committed in 1979 when he was 17 years old, for which he was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole in 1981.
The facts elicited at this hearing are contained in Defendant's Post-Hearing Brief in Support of His Post-Conviction Petition (May 25, 2022), People v. Holman, No.
Based on the evidence presented at this post-conviction hearing, a psychological evaluation done in connection with Holman's sentencing found that he scored in the borderline range of retardation on the verbal I.Q.
Holman testified that he did not know until he was told by detectives when he was arrested two months later, on September 5, 1979, that an 81-year-old woman, Esther Sepmeyer, had been shot inside the house on July 13, 1979.
Holman also testified about the murders of John Ortel and Frank Cash, for which he was convicted in St. Clair County, Illinois before the Sepmeyer trial.