Gans woman sentenced for abuse by caretaker

For death of father; Sheriff commends investigator on case

A Gans woman charged in June 2021 with a felony count of abuse by caretaker following the death of her father, Ernest R. Sills, has been sentenced in Sequoyah County District Court.

Rebecca A. Davis, 37, was formally sentenced on Jan. 20 after pleading no contest to the charge following a jury trial. She was handed a 10 year sentence where she will serve a term of six years in the Oklahoma Department of Corrections Mabel Bassett Correctional Center, plus four years probation. She will be eligible for a two-year revue on Jan. 19, 2025.

“ This was a sad situation for this elderly man (Sills) who most likely died a sad death,” Sequoyah County Sheriff Larry Lane Jr. said following Davis’ sentencing. “Sequoyah County Sheriff ’s investigator Gene Wheat worked with the medical examiner and did a great job of bringing this person (Davis) to justice.”

Wheat reported at 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 2, 2020, deputy Michelle Cordray was dispatched to an unattended death on E. 1120 Rd. east of Gans. According to the affidavit, Sills was found dead in a travel trailer parked behind a mobile home at the residence and had last been seen alive around 12:30 p.m. the same day.

Two paramedics at the scene had reportedly contacted the Sheriff ’s Office after observing Sills’ daughter, Davis, carrying a container of bleach water from the mobile home to the travel trailer. Davis told the paramedics she was going to clean up her father’s body because he had several open wounds with maggots present, according to the affidavit. Cordray then contacted Wheat and the Medical Examiner’s office.

Wheat interviewed Davis at the residence, where she stated she was Sills’ primary caretaker, along with her mother’s. The affidavit states Davis lived in the mobile home with her mother and children, while Sills lived alone in the travel trailer. She also said her father was difficult to take care of due to his un-cooperation and he was being treated by a doctor for his wounds.

Wheat reported a subpoena was sent to the doctor who was allegedly taking care of Sills but there was no record of the doctor treating him.

Davis said she was also the caretaker of her parent’s finances and Wheat reported bank records reflected there was sufficient funds available for nursing home or home health care for both individuals. Banks records also showed both of their accounts were withdrawn down to low levels only days after their deposits were made by Social Security.

An autopsy conducted by the Oklahoma Medical Examiner found the presence of maggots in Sills’ open wounds and fecal matter on his person. The autopsy indicated there were no evidence of recent bodily injury and that Sills had died as a result of acute pulmonary thrombosis. The medical examiner said other indicators, such as diabetes, a urinary tract infection, infectious cutaneous wounds and bacteremia also contributed to Sills’ death. He was also found to be malnourished, according to court documents.

Davis’ mother was reportedly removed from the residence by Department of Human Services that same day and was sent to a local hospital for examination.