Witnesses describe Davis’ past, other alleged victims as punishment phase gets underway

TYLER, Texas (KLTV) - One day after being found guilty of capital murder for killing patients at a Tyler heart hospital, William Davis’ punishment phase began today.

The prosecution started off by digging into Davis’ past.

“I was 13 with an 18-year-old that liked me,” a witness said.

The prosecution called a witness, who we are choosing not to identify, that says she was in an intimate relationship with William Davis when she was 13 and he was 18. She says Davis asked her to have sex and sent her graphic letters.

“When the defendant asked you to either touch his private area or perform oral sex on him, how did it make you feel?” prosecutor Lance Long asked.

“Very uncomfortable and nervous,” the witness said.

“And how, looking back, does it make you feel today thanking about it?” Long asked.

“Disgusted,” the witness responded.

The prosecution also alleged that Davis killed even more victims in the hospital. Krystal Frank says her husband, Perry Frank, had successful heart surgery in June 2017.

“He’s in pain, he’s moaning and groaning, but the nurse said he’s doing well. So I leave and so often, every couple hours, they would come and get me and say I could go back in,” Frank said.

Hospital protocol did not allow families to stay the night following surgery. Back at home, Krystal Frank got an early morning phone call, saying she needed to come back to the hospital.

“The nurses and the doctor and the chaplain were all standing outside and said they were sorry; they couldn’t bring him back. They worked on him for an hour, but he couldn’t come back, and I knew driving, too many nurses in my family for that kind of a call, praying all the way, but I knew he was gone already,” Frank said.

Perry Frank died June 22, 2017. The prosecution went on to say William Davis allegedly killed two more victims that weren’t mentioned during the trial.

The sentencing phase will resume Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m. The prosecution says they will likely continue calling witnesses into next week. After hearing from witnesses called by the defense, the jury will decide if William Davis is given life in prison, or the death penalty.

2:25 p.m. - The next witness called by the prosecution is Greye Fowler. He’s a former Cardiovascular ICU nurse at Mother Frances.

Fowler was Perry Frank’s night nurse. June 21, 2017 was the date of Frank’s surgery.

Fowler says he stepped out of his room to get some ice and talk to another nurse. He saw on the patient condition monitors that his condition began to deteriorate. When Fowler got back to the room, he said Frank was unresponsive. He says William Davis came into the room with a crash card very shortly after, which he found odd.

On Aug. 7, 2017, James Wages was William Davis’ patient. Fowler says he was asked to check on Wages throughout the morning as Davis was doing charge nurse training. Early that morning, he says Wages began exhibiting signs of a stroke.

He says he took care of another alleged victim who crashed on June 15, 2017.

The next witness, Teresa Meeks, Clinical director for the Christus Cardiovascular ICU, came to the stand.

In the case of James Sanders, Meeks says she found out about his deterioration the morning she arrived to work.

She says she talked with one of the surgeons who said he was “angry” with what happened to Sanders.

11:07 a.m. - The next witness, Elsa Green, is a Lieutenant at the Smith County Jail and a custodian of records.

She discussed inmate’s abilities to make calls, have contact with the outside world.

On March 22, 2021, records show Davis called the step daughter three times. Records show he called her twice the day following and several more times the days following.

Several times, records show that the woman blocked the call from connecting. In all, Davis called the woman 23 times over a four month period. None of the calls were ever connected.

The next witness was Krystal Frank.

In 2017, her husband, Perry Frank, came to Tyler for heart surgery. Frank says she saw her husband after surgery. She says he was in pain, but overall he was progressing well.

She says she got a call at 3 a.m. She was told she needed to come to the hospital. She says she had a feeling he was gone on her drive to the hospital.

DA Putman said the State could rest punishment Monday or Tuesday.

10 a.m. - The step daughter said today she feels disgusted by what happened between herself and Davis.

Prosecutor Lance Long read intimate, detailed letters that he said Davis wrote to the step daughter. In the letters, Davis says he couldn’t wait for her to turn 16 so they could date. He would’ve been 21 when she was 16.

“Age doesn’t matter to me anymore,” the prosecution said Davis said in a letter to her when she was 13.

9:36 a.m. - The next witness, is the step daughter of Larry.

She says her family was very close with William Davis. When she was in 8th grade in Fall 2002, she says she was friends with Davis. He had graduated high school.

She says the friendship developed beyond friends. It became a sexual relationship.

An agreement was made where the two would respect rules, but the encounters continued.

She says Davis bought her a cell phone so they could be able to contact each other at any time.

In 2003, she says Davis asked her to leave with him. She said Davis said he would beat her dad if she didn’t leave.

Davis picked her up in his mom’s van and took her to an apartment complex. Upon parking, she says Davis wanted to have sex with her. She says she pushed him off. Davis was frustrated.

Another night, she said Davis took her to a Walmart parking lot in the van. She says he groped her and tried to have sex with her there. She once again pushed him off and threatened to tell someone.

Sometime later, the phone Davis gave her was discovered. Her mother called police.

She was interviewed by police. Out of fear of getting in trouble, she says she didn’t tell them everything that happened between her and Davis.

Earlier this year (2021), she says she started getting phone calls from the Smith County jail. It was William Davis. She blocked the number after he kept calling. She also changed her phone number.

The punishment phase in the trial of William Davis has begun.

A jury found Davis guilty of capital murder Tuesday for the deaths of four patients during his time working as a nurse at a Tyler heart hospital.

The first witness was called by the prosecution. The witness, who was named Larry, said he worked with William Davis’ father.

The witness said his step daughter, who was 13 at the time, and William Davis, who was 17 or 18 at the time, began what the man suspected was a romantic relationship.

Larry said he attempted to make sure that Davis and his step daughter were never alone together. He said he set out very strict rules for what Davis and his step daughter could and couldn’t do.

Larry said Davis was popular, played football, and was very smart. Efforts were still being increased to keep Davis away from Larry’s step daughter.

When they would go to church, Larry says Davis would sit two rows behind the family. When they would move, Davis would follow. He was fixated on the step daughter.

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