Body may be missing woman; boyfriend jailed
CANTON, Ohio – A massive search ended in sadness Saturday when authorities announced they found a body believed to be a pregnant woman who vanished from her home a week earlier. A police officer believed to be the father of the unborn child was arrested on two counts of murder.
Jessie Davis, 26, who was due to deliver a baby girl on July 3, was reported missing after her mother found Davis’ 2-year-old son home alone, bedroom furniture toppled and bleach spilled on the floor.
The boy gave investigators their first clues. “Mommy was crying. Mommy broke the table. Mommy’s in rug,” the boy said.
Thousands of volunteers had searched for Davis over several days, while investigators continued to question Bobby Cutts Jr., 30, who is the father of Davis’ son but is married to another woman.
Investigators were mum on many details of their work until they announced Cutts was taken into custody Saturday and was to be arraigned on charges of murder in the deaths of Davis and her unborn child.
The Stark County Sheriff’s Department also said a woman’s body was recovered in Summit County at 3:30 p.m. Authorities did not give a location but said they believed it to be Davis.
Television news footage taken from helicopters above Cuyahoga Valley National Park showed investigators riding off-road vehicles to reach an area that is heavily covered with trees and brush. It also show authorities carrying a body bag on a stretcher and loading it into a white van.
An attorney for Davis’ mother said the family had a roller coaster ride of emotions and had no comment.
“I’ve seen them laugh, cry, be angry – everything you can imagine,” Rick Pitinii said. “They need to be together, and they need to be alone, and they need to grieve.”
Cutts, a Canton police officer since 2000, has said he and his wife are separated and that she knew about the affair with Davis.
Chief Deputy Rick Perez said the case was still being investigated. He would not comment on whether there were any other suspects.