Assistant DA: Investigators have recovered phone of female victim in double homicide case
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Investigators have recovered the cell phone belonging to Alisha Seese, a victim of an alleged Jan. 11 double homicide, it was revealed during an omnibus hearing for alleged accomplice, Muhammad Davis, Thursday morning.
The phone was located in Lycoming Creek near the West Third Street overpass, First Assistant District Attorney Martin Wade said during the hearing.
No additional details surrounding any data retrieved from the phone was given at the hearing.
Troy Bennett Bailey Sr., 58, charged with first degree homicide and a number of other charges related to the slayings, was stopped in the area by police investigating Seese's disappearance shortly after midnight on Jan. 12.
Seese, alongside Ronald Dailey Jr., 37, was abducted as they were leaving work at Lycoming Engines shortly after 10 p.m.
Bailey, Seese and Dailey were all previously employed by Security Alliance Group, who are contracted to provide security and fire services to Lycoming Engines, according to court testimony.
Davis first came to the attention of authorities after they served a search warrant on a residence at which Bailey, Davis and his wife were living, according to Agent Laura Kitko, of the Williamsport police.
Authorities allege that Davis helped Bailey abduct and kill Seese and Dailey as they left work at Lycoming Engines just after 10 p.m. on Jan. 11.
Surveillance video showed two persons forcing Dailey, and minutes later, Seese, into Dailey's 2011 white BMW as they were leaving work.
Though he initially denied spending time with Bailey the night of the murders, Davis, , 49, of 1209 High St., later admitted taking part in the abductions during a videotaped March 1 police interview.
"I was there," Davis said to Sorage later during the interview, which was shown during Davis' preliminary hearing in April, though he denied having any prior knowledge of Bailey's plans.
That interview was the subject of a motion to exclude filed by defense attorney Donald Martino, who stressed that repeatedly Davis told authorities he did not wish to speak to them without a lawyer after being read his Miranda rights.
It was only after police continued speaking with Davis after his initial refusal that he eventually agreed.
"We know more things about Troy that we didn't know before that if you knew, might change how you feel about speaking with us," Lycoming County District Attorney's Office Detective Steven Sorage is heard telling Davis in interrogation video shown in court Thursday.
This statement, Martino argued, was meant to induce Davis to continue speaking with authorities.
However, Wade argued that Davis continued conversation unprovoked and that suspect's have the right to change their mind about talking to authorities.
Wade and Martino each offered case law supporting their respective positions.
Martino is also seeking the dismissal of all counts related to robbery and theft against Davis, arguing that if a theft was an intention of Bailey, Davis was unaware.
Relying heavily on testimony presented at the preliminary hearing, Martino argued that no evidence existed to establish that theft had been committed by his client.
Though Wade pointed out various objects belonging to Seese were found in locations outside of the immediate area of the crime scene in the days following, including her bank card and ID.
Given the nature of the offense, an attempted theft occurred at bare minimum, Wade said.
Citing what he referred to as "inflammatory statements" made by Lycoming County District Attorney Tom Marino, as well as the availability of news reports from early on in the investigation, Martino is requesting a change of venue, though seemed amenable to the issuance of a gag order as an alternative.
Senior Judge Nancy Butts appeared reticent to moving the trial, though signaled her willingness to consider the gag order.
Davis currently faces two counts each of second degree murder, theft by unlawful taking, unlawful restraint, reckless endangerment, false imprisonment, six counts of robbery, four counts of kidnapping, and one count each of conspiracy to commit kidnapping and robbery of a motor vehicle in the case.
No trial date has been set for Bailey or Davis.