Summary of Offense:
Convicted and sentenced to death for the August 8, 1992 murders of six people including his four-year-old son.

In the early morning hours of August 18, 1992, firefighters responded to a house fire in Somerville. Inside the house, the bodies of 45-year-old Bobbie Davis, her daughter, Nicole Davis, 16, and her grandchildren, Lea Erin Davis, 5, Brittany Davis, 6, Jason Davis, 4, and Denitra Davis, 9, were discovered. Autopsies of the victims showed that Bobbie was stabbed at least 29 times in the head and neck, all of which penetrated her brain. Nicole was shot five times in the head and was stabbed in the head and chest. Lea Erin, Brittany, Jason, and Denitra were each stabbed in the head and chest between seven to 13 times. The fire, which caused extensive damage to the home and to the bodies of the victims, was determined to have been set by someone pouring gasoline or a similar substance in each bedroom and living room, as well as on each body, and then igniting it.

Carter, a state prison guard, was the father of four-year-old Jason Davis. Jason's mother, Lisa Davis, also lived in the home but was working at the time of the murders. Four days before the murders, Carter was served with a paternity suit filed by Lisa seeking child support.

On the day of the murders, Carter was treated for recent second-degree burns to his left palm, both ears, and nose by Dr. Mark English. Carter claimed that while mowing his lawn, he had ignited some gasoline that he had thrown on the grass and the fire blew up in his face. After three hours of questioning, Carter retracted his earlier story about his burns. He then gave a taped statement saying he was with Anthony Graves at the scene of the murders and was burned inside the residence or near the front door of the residence after it was set on fire.

In the taped statement, Carter claimed he and Graves drove to the house and Graves went inside. After he heard a shout, he went in the house and saw Bobbie Davis lying in the living room and heard screams from within the house. He claimed he saw blood everywhere and saw Graves go from room to room. Then it got "all calm" and he observed Graves "pouring gas everywhere." Bullets recovered from Carter's residence were manufactured by Winchester Western on the same day as a bullet recovered from Nicole.

After he was convicted and sentenced to death for these murders, Carter testified at Graves' trial for capital murder. Carter testified that he and Graves went to the Davis home in the early morning hours of August 18. Carter was armed with a hammer and a .22 pistol. Graves had a knife. Upon entering the residence, Carter hit Bobbie Davis with the hammer then Graves began stabbing her. Nicole suddenly appeared and Carter chased her into a bedroom where he shot her several times. Carter said he then went outside and retrieved a gas can from his car. He reentered the house, pouring gasoline on Bobbie and in the living room where she was located. He then went to the bedroom where he had shot Nicole and poured gasoline on her and another body he found there. He proceeded to the two other bedrooms, pouring gasoline on the bodies he found in each room. Carter said he burned himself while attempting to flee from the fire.

Graves was also convicted and sentenced to death.

Victims:
Bobbie Davis, Nicole Davis, Lea Erin Davis, Brittany Davis, Jason Davis and Denitra Davis

Manner of execution:
Lethal injection

Time of Death:
6:20 p.m.

Last Meal:
Double meat cheeseburger (all the way) and fries

Final Statement:
At his execution, Robert Carter claimed full responsibility for the entire incident. "It was me and me alone. Anthony Graves had nothing to do with it. I lied on him in court. My wife had nothing to do with it. Anthony Graves don't even know anything about it. My wife don't know anything about it." He also expressed sorrow for the Davis family, love for his own family, and proclaimed his faith in Jesus Christ.