FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

September 8, 2026 

OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma County District Attorney Vicki Zemp Behenna announced today that a jury has convicted Kenneth Davis, 66, of the murder of Merle Southwick, 71, in 2024. After a four-day trial, the jury came back with a guilty verdict and recommended a sentence of life without the possibility of parole.

Police were called to the 6600 block of Shields Blvd. on August 2, 2024. Southwick’s brother arrived at Southwick’s home to pick him up for church. When Southwick didn’t answer his phone or the door, his brother crawled through an unlocked window and discovered Southwick’s body. He had been shot multiple times including through the back of his head execution style.

After conducting multiple interviews, detectives named Davis, Southwick’s roommate, the suspect in his homicide. Davis fled the state after the murder and was picked up by U.S. Marshalls in Colorado. He was brought back to Oklahoma and booked into the Oklahoma County Detention Center on November 14, 2024. Davis’ formal sentencing will take place October 13, 2026.

DA Behenna would like to thank the jury for their time and thoughtful consideration during the trial, as well as the police who investigated this case and the prosecutors who prepared the case for trial.

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