Jurors hear 911 fire call on first morning of Davis trial

YOUNGSTOWN — Jurors heard a 911 call recorded the day two women and four children died in a house fire on the city’s East side.

Michael Davis, 18, is on trial in Mahoning County Common Pleas court in the city’s largest mass murder. The charges carry death penalty specifications. The trial began this morning with opening statements by Prosecutor Paul J. Gains and Defense Atty. James S. Gentile. Gains described Davis as a dangerous man who out of anger set the Crawford property on fire while everyone was asleep around 5 a.m. Jan. 23. Gentile told the jury in Judge R. Scott Krichbaum’s court that the investigation produced the wrong person.

The prosecution’s first witness Retia Crawford, 19, survived the fire. Recording of her call to 9-1-1 was played for the jury. While parts of it were unintelligible, Crawford could be heard saying, “I don’t want them to die. Oh my God. Oh my God.”

Jurors had their heads bowed as they listened to the chilling screams.

Davis, 18, of Bennington Avenue, is on trial on a 29-count aggravated arson and aggravated murder indictment with death penalty specifications in the house fire. Killed in the blaze were Carol Crawford, 46; her daughter, Jennifer R. Crawford, 23; and Jennifer’s four children, Ranaisha, 8; Jeannine, 5; Aleisha, 3; and Brandon, 2, Five other people escaped from the burning house at 1645 Stewart Ave.

The prosecution has said it expects its case will take three days to present. The defense expects its case will take no more than two days to present.

For more on this story, please see Friday’s Vindicator or vindy.com