48 Hours season 39 episode 3 - Why was the wife accused of Kevin Davis' death?

48 Hours season 39 episode 3, which aired on October 11, 2025, took up the case of Kevin Davis, who died after a fatal fall down the staircase at his home. The incident, which happened in August 2023, shook the quiet community of New Haven, Indiana.

40-year-old Kevin Davis was found unresponsive at the bottom of his home’s staircase by his wife, Alison Davis, who called 911 at around 4:30 AM. She claimed that she woke to a loud thud and discovered Kevin lying in a pool of blood.

What initially appeared to be a tragic household accident quickly evolved into a full-scale homicide investigation, and Alison found herself at the center of it. The case spanned nearly two years and culminated in a nationally watched trial.

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Alison Davis was accused of the death of Kevin Davis

Kevin Davis was found dead by Alison Davis (Image via Getty)

On August 12, 2023, Alison found Kevin at the base of a steep stairway in their rented house in New Haven, Indiana. When the police began questioning, they noticed inconsistencies in Alison Davis’s account, which fueled investigators’ suspicions.

She told responding officers that Kevin might have fallen after a night of drinking. However, she told Kevin’s mother that he hadn’t been drinking and simply went to get a glass of water. Medics and police officers also noted that Alison’s demeanor seemed unusual. According to court records, she appeared calm while her husband lay mortally injured nearby.

When the autopsy results came, it was found that Kevin’s injuries were inconsistent with a typical fall. His skull had been crushed on one side, with multiple fractures around the orbital bones and no other significant injuries to the rest of his body.

Investigators also pointed out the lack of damage to the surrounding environment and no signs of a scuffle that might suggest he had stumbled down the stairs. Moreover, Kevin’s body temperature was alarmingly low when paramedics arrived, suggesting that he had been lying at the bottom of the stairs for several hours before the 911 call was made.

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Alison Davis was charged with murder and tried in court

By late 2023, authorities formally charged Alison Davis with murder, and she was held without bond at the Allen County Jail. During the trial, which began in 2025, the prosecution led by Allen County Deputy Prosecutor Tesa Helge focused on the medical evidence and Alison’s behavior.

Helge argued that the head injury Kevin sustained was not accidental but the result of a deliberate and forceful blow. Expert witness Dr. Scott Wagner described Kevin’s wounds as consistent with a brutal beating rather than a fall. The prosecution also emphasized Alison’s inconsistent statements during the questioning.

The defense, led by attorneys Andrew Baldwin and Maxwell Wiley, countered that the state’s case was built entirely on speculation and circumstantial evidence. They argued that Kevin Davis had been heavily intoxicated that night and could have easily lost his balance. Forensic neuropathologist Dr. Ljubisa Dragovic supported this theory, testifying that Kevin’s death could have resulted from a single accidental impact.

One of the most crucial pieces of evidence, which was a set of data from Alison’s Garmin smartwatch, was left out in the trial. The defense claimed that the data showed Alison’s sleep and movement patterns aligned with her account that she was in bed when Kevin Davis fell. However, the judge ruled the data inadmissible.

After weeks of testimony and six and a half hours of deliberation, the jury ultimately found Alison Davis not guilty on May 9, 2025.

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The full case of Kevin Davis's death has been explored on 48 Hours, season 39, episode 3.

Edited by Sneha Haldar