WILLIAM DAVIS SENTENCING DAY 3: Phone call shows Davis admitting to ‘prolonging’ patient hospital stays

TYLER, Texas (KLTV) - The third day of sentencing began Friday for a former Tyler nurse found guilty of injecting air into his patients’ bloodstreams.

William Davis, 37, of Hallsville, has been convicted on a charge of capital murder. A jury is hearing testimony to determine whether he will get the death penalty or serve life in prison.

“I’m not a serial monster if that’s what you’re wondering,” Davis said in a recorded phone call played before the jury.

On Tuesday, just hours after the jury found him guilty of killing patients at a Tyler heart hospital, Davis calls his ex-wife. Their conversation played Friday in court.

“We don’t deserve this at all,” his ex-wife said.

In the call, she tells Davis she wants to know the truth. Did he or did he not intentionally kill patients?

“Well, I guess I’m gonna go ahead and say it,” Davis says.

From there, Davis says the hospital would occasionally restrict his hours or call him off. He says this frustrated him because he was struggling financially.

“I was focused on going to work,” Davis said in the phone recording. “When I was at work, trying to work, trying to make money, trying to make sure I could make money to make ends meet.”

Prolonged patient stays in the hospital meant more time to work, according to Davis. He goes on to say that he didn’t mean to hurt anyone, despite being convicted of killing four patients.

“I screwed it up,” Davis said. “I screwed it up. You didn’t screw it up, the kids didn’t screw it up. I’m the one who screwed it up because I was stupid.”

Also today, the jury heard from alleged victims of Davis who survived.

“I was worried I’d never walk again, but through rehab and hard work I’ve overcome some of that,” James Wages said in testimony Friday.

James Wages was an internationally known Elvis impersonator. He underwent heart surgery after being alerted of heart problems from a doctor.

“They did the surgery and what I understand, it came out fine,” Wages said. “They did a good job.”

Like many of the other victims, the surgery was called a success. But on Aug. 7, 2017, Wages unexpectedly deteriorated. He had to go through rehab and could no longer pursue his passion of being an Elvis impersonator.

“I can sing, but it’s not as professional as I was,’ Wages said.

Like all of the other surviving victims, Wages still struggles daily, more than five years after allegedly having air injected into him by Davis.

“It just sucks, it sucks,” Wages said.

2:20 p.m. - Another phone call Davis made from jail is played. This call was to William Davis’ brother hours after the guilty verdict is read.

Davis again talks about the quick decision by the jury to reach a guilty verdict. Davis says he’d rather get life in prison and “go in God’s timing.” There were no questions from the defense.

There will be no trial on Monday. The judge says they expect to have a sentence by Wednesday.

2:11 p.m. - The phone call between Davis and his ex-wife continued.

“What you did was really wrong.” Davis’ ex-wife says. “It was.” Davis responded.

His ex-wife says Davis needed to apologize to the families of the victims and his kids.

Davis says he didn’t tell his attorneys that he killed/injured the patients. He again says he just wanted to make ends meet.

Davis’ ex-wife asked if there were more victims. Davis said “just these people.” Note: this is before the prosecution introduced the six other alleged victims.

“It was stupid!” Davis said of his actions through tears.

Davis says it was a “quick impulse” decision to kill the patients, he said he never thought about doing anything like this prior to 2017.

“Of all of the ways to make money, why did your thought process go there?” Davis’ ex-wife asked.

Davis said in the call he killed a 96-year-old woman in 2016 who wasn’t in the CVICU because her quality of life was not good in his opinion.

1:53 p.m. - Questioning of Investigator Jeff Roberts resumes

He says following the phone call interview with Davis, it was clear to him there were several lies Davis told to him.

State plays phone calls Davis made the afternoon the guilty verdict was read.

First phone call played is to Davis’ former wife. His ex-wife says “I can’t help but think about our kids.”

Davis and his ex-wife discussed closing arguments, the jury’s quick decision on the verdict.

Davis’ ex-wife asks if what the prosecution is saying is true. Davis says not all of it is true.

In the second phone call, Davis’ ex-wife says she wants closure and wants to know if Davis killed his victims.

Davis admits to making mistakes and says he wants to still have a relationship with his kids.

“I’m not a serial monster,” Davis said in recordings.

Davis tells her that he was trying to help people and didn’t intentionally harm people.

Davis says he was having problems with finances. He says he worked a lot to make up for financial troubles. He says the hospital sometimes called people off and he wasn’t working as much as he wanted to.

He says he never meant to hurt anyone. He says he couldn’t afford to be off. He wanted to work.

He admits to “prolonging” patients’ stay at the hospital on the chance he could work more. Davis says Kalina was an accident.

Davis’ ex-wife becomes very emotional on the recording saying, ”This is the opposite of what God would ever want you to do.”

11:47 a.m. -Elsa Green, lieutenant, Smith County jail custodian of records testified records show four phone calls were made by William Davis on Tuesday after the guilty verdict.

Investigator Jeff Roberts, the state played a portion of a phone interview between police and Davis talking about the alleged victims that weren’t mentioned in the guilt or innocence phase of the trial. This call happened between the time Davis was suspended from the hospital in Feb. 2018 and when he is arrested in April 2018.

11:05 a.m. - Dr. Benjamin Krog, anesthesiologist, Christus Mother Frances testified he had no concerns about James Wage’s surgery on Aug. 7, 2017, saying he did very well.

Michelle Cazares, CVICU nurse, CHRISTUS Mother Frances testified she was Gary Parker’s nurse and had no concerns that he would suffer a neurological event. On July 14, 2017, she says she stepped out of his room for a few minutes, when she returned she found Parker in a completely different condition. Cazares said he was in distress.

In the case of patient Rickie Glenn, Cazares says she stepped out of his room briefly in the early morning hours of Oct. 26, and asked William Davis to watch Glenn. When she returned, Cazares testified Glenn’s condition had changed dramatically from when she last saw him.

10:13 a.m. James Wages, one of Davis’ alleged victims, said he was an internationally known Elvis impersonator before his hospital stay. He said he was very passionate about doing that because he is a big Elvis fan.

Wages told the jury that he was told his surgery went well, but he went into a coma for about a month after he was allegedly injected by Davis. He added that he is paralyzed on his left side, and he suffered severe brain damage.

“I can sing, but it’s not as professional as I was,” Wages said.

As described how he was impacted by his hospital stay, Wages became emotional.

“It sucks. It sucks,” he said.

The defense did not ask Wages any questions.

Next, Rickie Glenn, another of Davis’ alleged victims, took the stand. he said he came to Tyler for heart surgery after a doctor’s visit alerted him of heart problems. After his surgery, he couldn’t walk, and he was in rehab for a month.

Glenn said his strength and stamina aren’t what they used to be. He added that he loses his balance easily and has trouble controlling his hands.

“I don’t take nothing for granted anymore,” Glenn said.

Once again, the defense chose not to cross-examine the witness.

Davis was never charged for the injuries to Wages and Glenn.

9:48 a.m. - The defense called the second witness, Dr. Christopher Lowe, anesthesiologist, CHRISTUS Mother Frances. Dr. Lowe says he participated in Gary Parker’s surgery and described the procedure as “routine as it gets.” No questions from the defense.

The third witness, Diana Kidwell, nurse, CHRISTUS Mother Frances was the day nurse for patient James Wages on Aug. 7, 2017. Kidwell said she remembers Wages because he was an Elvis impersonator and she is a big Elvis fan. The day prior to his stroke, she says he was doing well. When she returned the next day, she learned of his stroke and that Wages was in bad condition.

9:22 a.m. - The first witness of the day called by the prosecution is Gary Parker, an alleged victim of William Davis.

Parker says he had heart issues before coming to Tyler for surgery and testified he had no memory of the week following his surgery. He had suffered a stroke. He returned to Louisiana from Tyler in an ambulance and was hospitalized for 45 days. Parker then began rehabilitation to relearn to walk.

Today, Parker says he can’t walk very far without assistance.

There were no questions from the defense.

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