Motive remains elusive in Taylor murder trial

By MARSHA DORGAN
Register Staff Writer

The motive is still a mystery as the murder trial of Napa resident Alex Taylor finished its fourth day Thursday.

Taylor, 26, has been charged with shooting George Davis, 62, in Davis’ north Napa home in April 2007. Police say Taylor admitted he shot Davis, but so far the jury has not heard any testimony relating to Taylor’s admission.

On Thursday the jury did not enter the courtroom until the afternoon. The morning was spent with prosecutor Gary Van Camp and defense attorney Jess Raphael arguing motions before Judge Ray Guadagni out of the presence of the jury.

In the afternoon, the jury was shown a videotaped interview at the Napa police station between Taylor and Napa Police detective Don Winegar the night Davis’ body was discovered in his north Napa home.

Taylor, who said he suffers from two brain tumors and schizophrenia, fidgeted and rubbed his hands throughout most of the interview.

“Were you a good friend of George?” Winegar asked.

“Pretty damn good friend,” Taylor replied. “I used to buy his groceries for him.”

Taylor, who met Davis when he was 16, and still in high school, said Davis was into witchcraft and was teaching him how to cast spells. He also said several other young men into magic and sorcery hung out with Davis.

Taylor’s defense claims that Davis held a strange power over the troubled younger man.

Winegar asked Taylor a litany of questions about his personal life.

“What about your father?”

Taylor said he had not seen the man for many years. “He was homeless and in and out of mental hospitals. Then when I was, 6, the Secret Service came to our house and he was gone,” he said.

Taylor told Winegar he attended Napa High School and earned his GED. He said he enlisted in the Navy, but only served for about three weeks. He said he was discharged when they diagnosed him with the brain tumors and schizophrenia.

Napa Police detective Amy Hunter testified the night Davis was killed, Taylor agreed to let them search the shed where he lived, behind his mother’s house on West Lincoln Avenue. At the time, Taylor had not been arrested.

Hunter said the search turned up two guns, but did not say if either was the murder weapon.

Napa County Deputy Coroner Jesse Ward testified Davis was found sitting on his bedroom floor, leaning against the wall. Ward said Davis suffered wounds above his right eye, in the bridge of the nose and behind his left ear from a single gunshot.

According to police reports, Davis attempted to recruit nearly three dozen young people into a cult based on witchcraft and his friendship.

Several young people were asked to sign a contract with Davis, agreeing not to speak to others about witchcraft or what they did together and granting him authority over them.

In early interviews with police, Taylor said Davis used his magical powers and crystal ball to drive the demons from Taylor’s body.

Taylor has pleaded not guilty. If found guilty, his attorney will argue that his client is not guilty by reason of insanity.

If found guilty Taylor is facing 25 years to life in state prison.

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