Conviction Upheld In Grisly Santa Monica Murder

SANTA MONICA, CA — A three-judge state appeals court panel today upheld a man's conviction for murdering an 88-year-old Santa Monica man with a pickax inside the victim's apartment.

The man, Roy Antonio Davis, was also convicted of stabbing a man more than 100 times in Hollywood. The crimes were committed within a period of about two weeks.

The panel from California's 2nd District Court of Appeal found that the evidence involving Davis' identity as the killer was "overwhelming,'' and noted that his defense attorney never argued that Davis didn't commit the killings of Santa Monica resident John Hautz and Kenneth Schmitt of Hollywood.

In its 24-page ruling, the three appeals judges panel noted that jurors agreed with the defense's contention that Davis lacked the intent necessary for first-degree murder and convicted him instead of second-degree murder.

``Although defendant provided evidence of his mental illness, he presented no alternate explanation for his goal-oriented behavior during the murders,'' Associate Justice Dorothy Kim wrote on behalf of the panel, with Presiding Justice Brian Hoffstadt and Associate Justice Carl Moor concurring.

The ruling noted that Davis had armed himself with a pickax before entering Hautz's home, then used the weapon to strike heavy blows to the 88-year-old victim's head and chest before locking the front door from the inside with the chain and leaving through a back window to avoid detection.

Hautz was found dead Jan. 1, 2018, after the Santa Monica Fire Department responded to the apartment and forced entry.

The other victim, Schmitt, 28, was found dead near a nightclub on Hollywood Boulevard on Jan. 13, 2018. The appellate court panel noted that the evidence showed that Davis had stabbed him with a knife more than 100 times.

The culprit was arrested by Los Angeles police in February 2018, with Santa Monica police saying that detectives linked Davis to Hautz's death through forensic processing and other investigative efforts.

Davis, now 34, is serving a 32-year-to-life state prison sentence.

City News Service contributed to this report.