48 Hours: Post Mortem | A Death in the Stairwell

Date: October 14, 2025
Podcast: 48 Hours – Post Mortem
Host: Anne-Marie Green
Guest: Peter Van Sant (48 Hours Correspondent)

Episode Overview

In this "Post Mortem" special, host Anne-Marie Green and correspondent Peter Van Sant revisit the recent 48 Hours case involving the mysterious death of Kevin Davis. The episode explores the critical question: Was Kevin's fall down the stairs an accident or a murder? Through bodycam footage, emotional family interviews, expert testimony, and behind-the-scenes investigation details, the podcast dissects the complexities of the case—including police errors, conflicting interpretations of evidence, and the high-stakes trial of Kevin’s wife, Allison Davis.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Incident and Immediate Investigative Questions

• Event Recap: Kevin Davis is found unresponsive at the bottom of the stairs by his wife, Allison, following a “loud noise” (01:12).
• Autopsy: Reveals crushed skull; murder investigation launched with Allison as primary suspect (01:12).
• Central Dilemma: Was Kevin's death truly an accident—or did Allison kill him?
• First Responder Reactions:
  • Bodycam footage shows responders interpreting Allison’s emotional state differently (02:19).
  • Officer: “She doesn’t have a normal reaction...”
    EMT: “I think she's still in shock.” (02:44, Van Sant)
• Analysis of Allison’s Behavior:
  • Allison apologizes for her pajamas at the crime scene, laugh-talks, acts polite—interpreted as unusual by some, but explained by friends and family as her personality (03:51).
  • Van Sant: “She was raised to be extremely polite, and this is how she speaks.”

2. The 911 Call and its Interpretation

• 911 Call Playback: Allison sounds breathless, tries to collect herself, apologizes to the operator (05:19).
• Van Sant’s Take: Typical calls focus on urgency—Allison retells the story calmly and thanks the operator, which stood out as odd for investigators (06:24).
  • Quote: “Usually… you’d say 'He's unconscious, get someone here.'... The sudden calm—Detective Krueger... thought this was a performance.” (06:24, Van Sant)
• Variability of Crisis Response:
  • Green: “People do react differently in crises.” (07:36)
  • Van Sant recounts the deeply emotional moment when Allison’s father hears the call for the first time: “His head just went right down into his hands… heartbreak. This was real.” (07:37)

3. Key Police Errors and the Crime Scene

• Pit Bull in the Bedroom: Police choose not to enter an upstairs room due to Allison’s warning about their guard dog—possible suppression of vital evidence (09:08).
  • “She had signed permission… She did offer to move the dog. Detective Krueger… now believes the murder weapon might have been in that bedroom.” (09:08, Van Sant)
• Prematurely Cleared Crime Scene: Detective Krueger clears the house before autopsy results, contaminating critical evidence (10:03).
  • Van Sant: “There is no hurry… You have to do your CSI work… That scene has now been contaminated.”

4. Evidence Against Allison & Investigation Logic

• Alleged Motive:
  • Allison admits to a fight with Kevin on the night of his death.
  • Investigators cite ambiguous text messages ("Gotta go to bed. The wife") as suggestive of marital tension—Van Sant questions this logic, noting possible confirmation bias (11:07).
    • Van Sant: "You got to be careful about confirmation bias… you can really get in trouble, which I think happened in this case."
• No Murder Weapon, No Motive, No Witnesses: Detective Krueger’s case builds primarily on circumstantial evidence.

5. Small-Town Impact: Community Reactions

• East Haven Tavern: The local bar serves as the heartbeat of community opinion—shock, confusion, and a split between believing Allison innocent or guilty (13:26).
  • “Everybody knows everybody…[her arrest] really shocked [them].” (13:26, Van Sant)
  • “After Allison was… charged… some people started to drift toward [believing her guilt]… others, just no way.”

6. Allison’s Jail Ordeal and Isolation

• Bail Denial: Allison held for 17 months, no bail allowed for murder charges in Indiana (14:26).
• Jail Conditions: No in-person or even virtual visits except from attorneys; relied on letters and phone calls to maintain contact (14:42).
  • Attempted to “make the best” by leading workouts, staying positive—still described as “really terrible” isolation (14:42, Van Sant).

7. The Trial: Battle of Experts

• Dueling Testimonies:
  • Prosecution’s Dr. Smock: Multiple head fractures = multiple hits; Allison must have used a weapon (16:47).
  • Defense’s Dr. Dragovich: Single fall, single impact; banister injury caused ricocheting brain trauma—believes it was an accident.
    • “Dr. Dragovich explained it in ways that people could… follow, and he prevailed.” (18:14)
  • Juror comments that expert testimony was “easy to follow,” much to the journalists’ surprise (18:14).

8. Verdict, Aftermath, and Reflections

• Allison Acquitted: Not guilty—jury deliberates just six hours (18:25).
• Van Sant Reflection: “I've had two not guilty [verdicts]… That's it.” (18:43)
• Detective Krueger’s View: Insists “100%... Allison got away with murder,” despite the verdict—Van Sant argues that attitude is “unfair” and leaves a “scarlet letter” on Allison (18:44).
• Family Impact:
  • Allison’s father is steadfast, emotional supporter—Green: “He represented her very, very well.” (20:52)
• Financial & Personal Toll:
  • Green: “Just being accused can be ruinous to your life.” (19:57)
• Allison’s Silence: Declined post-trial interviews; living with parents; Van Sant expresses well-wishes—“In my mind… you are an innocent person.” (20:22)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "[Allison] apologized for wearing pajamas… Laugh-talked with people at the scene. That struck some as very, very odd. But… she was raised to be extremely polite."
  – Peter Van Sant (03:51)

• "If she committed a crime and had rehearsed a story, why would she have forgotten to act sad on the police body cam video?"
  – Peter Van Sant (04:19)

• "Usually… you’d say, 'He's unconscious, get someone here.'... The sudden calm… was a performance."
  – Peter Van Sant (06:24)

• "He just… his head just went right down into his hands… heartbreak. This was real."
  – Peter Van Sant, describing Allison's father's reaction (07:37)

• "That scene has now been contaminated. And whatever they found would have been challenged in court."
  – Peter Van Sant (10:03)

• "You got to be careful about confirmation bias when you're an investigator. Once you start interpreting everything as evidence of a crime, you can really get in trouble."
  – Peter Van Sant (11:07)

• "He [Detective Krueger] owns the mistakes that he made… releasing that crime scene so early."
  – Peter Van Sant (15:48)

• "It's always dramatic when this happens because a life is hanging in the balance… We really laughed out loud when the juror… said that they found the expert testimony easy to follow and clear."
  – Peter Van Sant (18:14)

• "There have only been two [not guilty verdicts]. And, you know, one of the jurors said the prosecution's case had holes in it… In this case, I think the jury got it right."
  – Peter Van Sant (18:43)

• "As her dad said: 'I can’t believe they did this to her... such injustice.' He can’t believe that they ever charged her with homicide… and then a jury takes just six hours to find her not guilty."
  – Peter Van Sant (19:57)

Important Segment Timestamps

• Case Introduction & Setup: 01:12–01:56
• Bodycam/Responder Reactions: 02:19–03:51
• 911 Call Analysis: 05:12–07:06
• Allison's Father's Reaction: 07:37–08:34
• Crime Scene Decisions/Errors: 08:47–10:03
• Evidence Against Allison: 11:00–12:44
• Community Impact (East Haven Tavern): 13:26–14:26
• Jail Conditions: 14:42–15:20
• Trial & Expert Testimony: 16:23–18:25
• Verdict & Reflections: 18:41–21:18

Closing Thoughts

This “Post Mortem” episode is a searing account not only of a perplexing, high-stakes criminal investigation, but also the profound effects of suspicion and the justice system on a family and small town. As reflected in the jury’s swift verdict and the emotional weight carried by Allison's family, the case is a cautionary tale about the risks of confirmation bias, incomplete investigations, and the broad collateral damage inflicted by criminal accusations—regardless of ultimate guilt or innocence.