Stunned son struggles with Wilson mom's murder

"I'd have to say it's the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life, identify my mother's body," said David Franzwa after his mother was killed and a 16-year-old neighbor charged with her murder.

Posted 4:55 p.m. Nov 30, 2015 — Updated 3:14 a.m. Dec 1, 2015

WILSON, N.C. — David Franzwa is struggling to understand how his mother, 55-year-old Donna Lynne Davis, ended up unconscious in a Wilson intersection Saturday night.

Police charged Albert Henry Jones III, 16, of 1102 Rountree Ave. with her murder, but did not say anything about how she died or what connection she might have had with her killer.

Franzwa heard the sirens Saturday night just before 10:00 as they whizzed by his home. He had no idea they were on the way to his mother, who had been attacked as she walked her dog and lay dying in the intersection of Vance Street and Maplewood Drive just blocks away. Police found the dog, Tricksie, sitting beside Davis' unconscious body.

"She walks that street every day to walk her little dog, and nobody's ever bothered her until now," Franzwa said. "I don’t understand why a kid would do that to someone."

According to police, EMS workers tried to revive Davis, but their attempts were unsuccessful.

"My heart sank when I found out it was murder," Franzwa said. "I'd have to say it's the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life, identify my mother's body."

Franzwa is struggling to pull together the money to bury his mother and a Go Fund Me page has been set up to help with expenses. Her memorial service will be held on the one-year-anniversary of his father's death.

He's grappling for a way to explain the senseless violence to his 11-year-old son.

He wants closure. He wants answers. And he wants to look his mother's killer in the face and ask one question.

"Just so I could rest peacefully tonight, I'd like to know why he decided to kill my mother," Franzwa said.

Jones was being held in the Wilson County jail without bond.

The Wilson Police Department is encouraging anyone with information regarding the case to contact them at 252-399-2323 or Crime Stoppers at 252-243-2255.

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