Updated with additional information on Kentucky charges. 

CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – A defendant in the 2020 Justin Sawyer murder who’s been held for over three years in Kentucky is now facing charges of first-degree murder and abuse of a corpse in Montgomery County.

Dawaun Tylik Davis, 23, was indicted in Montgomery County in May 2022 on charges of first-degree murder, property theft, especially aggravated kidnapping, abuse of a corpse and related charges in the death of Sawyer, whose disappearance set of a months-long search across north Clarksville and Oak Grove, Kentucky.

Sawyer was shot during a Dec. 17, 2020, robbery, and his body was found 76 days later, on March 2, 2021, off Kennedy Road in Clarksville.

Because parts of the crime happened in Kentucky, Davis has been held in Christian County Jail since his arrest. He recently signed extradition papers and was transferred to Montgomery County Jail.

His indictment papers here were unsealed upon his arrest and booking on March 21 in Montgomery County. They reveal that Davis is charged with the premeditated murder of Sawyer during the theft of Sawyer’s 2016 Honda Civic. The indictment alleges that Davis used a handgun to kidnap Sawyer. Following the murder, Davis burned and disposed of Sawyer’s body, the indictment charges.

In Kentucky, Davis faces charges in the Sawyer case of kidnapping, robbery and assault. Once the murder case is adjudicated in Tennessee, he will face those lesser charges in Kentucky.

Additional suspects

Davis was one of three men charged in the incident.

Marquell Devont’e Sims, 22, of Oak Grove, pleaded guilty to facilitation to robbery, facilitation to kidnapping and facilitation to first-degree assault in March 2022, according to WHOP. He was sentenced to five years in prison and must testify against Davis.

Gene “Doug” Henry, 36 of Oak Grove, pleaded guilty to tampering with physical evidence.

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