Makayla Pickett, 14 and Pamela Pickett
Harry Levert Davis
March 16, 2015
DA awaits death-penalty decision in Lingo Street arson case
WILMINGTON | After announcing last week that the state will seek the death penalty against the suspect in a deadly Carolina Beach arson fire, the fate of another accused arsonist charged with murder in Wilmington is hanging in the balance.
"The (death penalty) panel has not yet met to determine whether we are going to proceed capitally," New Hanover County District Attorne Ben David said Monday. "Once the case is indicted, we will meet and know within 45 days if it will be on pace for capital murder."
Harry Levert Davis, 24, is being held without bail in the New Hanover County jail on two counts of first-degree murder, three counts of attempted first-degree murder and one count of first-degree arson. He stands accused of killing two people by setting fire to 1901 Lingo St.
Makayla Pickett, 14, born blind and autistic, woke her family, but died in the blaze. Her great-aunt and guardian, Pamela Pickett, 51, collapsed and died outside the home after helping three others escape.
In a newly obtained affidavit in support of a search warrant for Davis' phone, a Wilmington Police Department investigator states Makayla's cousin Shatara Pickett "had a falling out" and fought two days before the fire with a female neighbor. On the evening before the fire, Davis, who was friends with the neighbor, called Shatara repeatedly and tried to arrange for the women to fight again, according to the affidavit. About 4 a.m. on the morning of the fire Shatara was at another location when Davis showed up, and he was "advised to leave," the affidavit states.
At 5 a.m., a friend who Shatara was with received a phone call from Davis saying Shatara's house was on fire, according to the court document.
According to the Wilmington Fire Department the Lingo Street fire was reported at 4:30 a.m. A fire was set at both the front and back doors of the small bungalow.
Investigators believe an accelerant was used in the blaze.
The Lingo Street fire came just 17 days after two women were killed in an arson fire in Carolina Beach. On March 10, David announced his office intends to seek the death penalty against arson suspect Marshall Hudson Doran, 22. Doran is charged with setting the three fires Dec. 6, one of which was deadly.
http://www.starnewsonline.com/articl...9757?p=1&tc=pg
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