True Crime All The Time – Episode 472: Louis Davidson

Hosts: Mike Ferguson & Mike Gibson ("Gibby")
Release Date: February 16, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode examines the 1994 murder of Dr. Louis Davidson, a respected emergency room physician in Tampa Bay, Florida. Through detailed investigation and courtroom drama, hosts Mike Ferguson and Mike Gibson unravel a case filled with betrayal, financial motive, and a complex murder-for-hire plot involving Davidson’s soon-to-be-ex-wife Denise, her boyfriend, and a web of accomplices. The episode dives deep into the key players, the crime’s staging, the ensuing investigation, and the lingering questions about the elusive figures who haven't faced justice.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Davidson Family and Setting the Stage

• Background: Denise Davidson, originally from Kingston, Jamaica, met Louis Davidson (also from Kingston). Denise had a career as a swimsuit and calendar model; Louis was a promising medical student.
• Married in Jamaica in 1982, they moved to Tampa, FL. Their daughter Natalie was born in 1986.
• Louis eventually became the head of pediatric ER at Bayfront Medical Center, St. Petersburg.
  "That's a pretty prestigious position." (Mike, 08:16)

2. A Marriage in Crisis

• By early 1990s, the marriage deteriorated, leading to separation (Feb 1991). Divorce proceedings began in Oct 1993, and it became contentious: physical violence allegations, infidelity, claims of mental cruelty, and a heated custody battle.
• Both had moved on: Louis was engaged to Patricia Danino, a fellow ER nurse; Denise was dating Leo Cisneros, a Kingston bar owner.

"It was said, Gibbs, that this was a really contentious divorce. There were allegations of physical violence, infidelity, and mental cruelty, as well as a custody battle..."
— Mike (09:05)

3. The Murder of Dr. Louis Davidson [11:15–13:55]

• On Jan 25, 1994, police found Louis face down in a bathtub of bloody water. He was gagged, blindfolded, hands and feet bound with a vacuum cleaner cord.

• Autopsy: three broken ribs, facial bruising, lacerations from blunt object, and drowned.

• Apartment ransacked – but $19,000 cash left behind.
  "If it's a robbery, you're not going to leave that behind, right? No. $19,000." (Gibby, 12:32)

• Detectives found a size 9 Voit sneaker footprint at the scene.

4. Early Suspicions and Motives [13:55–16:55]

• Louis had been getting hangup calls (possibly to track his movements).
• Denise was questioned and claimed "no reason" to want him dead, citing their daughter. She said Leo was in Jamaica at the murder time.
• Leo had a criminal history and connections to Jamaican "drug posses," suggesting a network for violent crimes.
• Detectives learned Denise was pregnant with Leo’s child and was the beneficiary of Louis’ $400,000 life insurance.

"So now you have motive... $400,000, that is a boatload of money. It is, and it's quite a bit of motive."
— Mike (16:08)

5. Building the Murder-for-Hire Case [16:55–28:26]

• Police found Denise sent 21 Western Union payments totaling $15,000 to Robert Gordon (Leo's associate) and Carol Case.
• Denise made dozens of calls to a pager on the murder day; return calls came from a cell phone she herself bought.

"You're not paging yourself and then calling yourself back and saying, hey, did you page me? Yes, I did. What do you want to talk about? I don't know. Let's get lunch..."
— Mike (19:08)

• The cell phone was traced from outside Louis’ apartment to a Day’s Inn motel, where witnesses saw Gordon and a white, blonde woman (Susan Shore).
• Police recovered a blood-stained pair of size 9 Voit sneakers and a sweatshirt at the motel—purchased by Denise at Walmart right before the murder.

6. The Dominoes Fall: Arrests and Key Witnesses [28:26–37:01]

• Robert Gordon was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, identified by witnesses at both the apartment and Motel.
• After surveillance, police found Denise was thinking of fleeing the country. She was arrested at Tampa airport, attempting to board a one-way flight to Jamaica, charged with first-degree murder.

"On March 14, 1994, Denise was arrested at the Tampa International Airport a few hours before boarding a flight to Jamaica... She was immediately arrested and charged..."
— Mike (28:45)

• Leo's fingerprints found on money wire receipts. The same burner phone connected to Denise and Leo.
• Detectives travel to Jamaica to interview Leo. He hints (cryptically):

"One of the interesting things that Leo said to us was what would happen if I told you I sent somebody there to beat him up? And they just got carried away."
— Mike (32:48)

• Accomplice Susan Shore, arrested in Jamaica, claims she unknowingly drove the men to the murder, but afterward saw Denise and Leo there. She agrees to testify for accessory charges.

7. Trials, Testimonies, and Convictions [37:01–61:35]

• Gordon & McDonald (*) Trial: June 1995; both found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to death.
• Their defense claimed Leo set them up and killed Louis himself.
• Motive: Life insurance and the custody battle ("two very big motives").
• Denise Davidson Trial: September 1995; evidence showed 232 calls to Gordon’s pager (with 55 on murder day) and repeated Western Union payments.

"Denise and Leo made the payments because they had hired the two defendants to kill Louis. They had two possible motives. Right. The life insurance money and the custody battle."
— Mike (43:08)

• Denise’s defense tried to claim she was manipulated by Leo and didn’t know about the insurance; prosecution refuted this with financial and communication records.

• Denise testified in her own defense, claiming she thought she was investing in a car parts business, but inconsistencies/lies were shown by police.

• Verdict: Denise found guilty of first-degree murder; sentenced to life with a minimum 25 years.

• Accomplice Susan Shore received three years probation, with the stipulation she leave the U.S.

8. Aftermath & Unresolved Threads [62:49–66:00]

• Denise is still incarcerated in Florida; Robert Gordon and Merrill McDonald remain on death row.
• Leo Cisneros disappeared and remains a fugitive, wanted for first-degree murder.
• The tragedy’s ripple: Denise and Leo’s child loses both parents; Louis and Denise’s daughter loses both as well.

"You have the daughter that has no mom or dad because obviously the dad was murdered and the mom is sitting in prison."
— Mike (65:31)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Motive and Crime Scene

• "If you're only there to rob, do you really need to go through all of this?"
  — Mike (11:56)
• "I think police, by and large, are under pressure to solve every murder."
  — Mike (27:10)

On the Evidence

• "Denise bought this burner phone... and gave it to the person she wanted to call her back when she paged. I mean, what other logical explanation is there really?"
  — Mike (19:08)
• "Investigators also determined that the day before the murder, Denise used her credit card at Walmart... to purchase a pair of size 9 Voit sneakers and a gray sweatshirt that was the same brand as the one found in the hotel room."
  — Mike (22:57)

On Testimonies and Defense Tactics

• "The best thing she could do is to turn around and work with the police on this one."
  — Gibby (37:09)
• "When your statements are inconsistent, it's always going to be a problem for you."
  — Gibby (57:08)

On Consequences and Tragedy

• "How many lives are wrecked by these stupid decisions. And I don't know what other word to use."
  — Mike (65:46)
• "It's a tragedy that didn't need to happen. And now all these individuals have to pay the ultimate price."
  — Gibby (65:52)

Important Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment | Notes | |-----------|---------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------| | 06:25 | Start of the case: Louis Davidson | Background: Life, marriage to Denise | | 11:13 | Crime scene discovered | Gruesome details, start of police investigation | | 13:13 | Hangup calls—tracking Louis | Early suspicion, divorce/custody motives emerge | | 16:07 | Insurance policy, payments as motive | Denise's finances come under scrutiny | | 18:36 | Denise's pager/cell phone connection | Direct evidence of coordination with murderers | | 22:45 | Physical evidence: Voit sneakers | Tied by Walmart purchases, blood, and receipts | | 28:26 | Robert Gordon arrested | Dominoes begin to fall—arrests and statements | | 32:48 | Leo's cryptic "beat up" confession | Investigation expands to Jamaica | | 35:44 | Warrants for Leo & McDonald | Key players charged; Leo on the run | | 39:07 | Susan Shore’s plea deal | Accessory—testifies for prosecution | | 41:29 | 232 pager calls revealed | Overwhelming evidence of conspiracy | | 43:08 | Prosecution outlines the two motives | Life insurance, custody | | 54:04 | Denise's defense strategy | Argued being "blind and in love;" prosecution refutes | 61:35 | Denise sentenced to life in prison | Aftermath detailed; Susan Shore released | | 62:49 | Whereabouts of key players (2026) | Leo still missing; reflection on collateral damage| | 65:31 | Host commentary on families affected | Emphasizes long-term impact of the crime |

Tone & Host Dynamics

The episode balances respectful, careful true crime reporting with the hosts’ signature casual banter that provides levity without minimizing the crime's severity. Mike and Gibby insert dark humor (often about themselves), but always circle back to the victims and importance of justice.

Key Takeaways

• Louis Davidson’s murder was a calculated, brutal crime prompted by financial greed (life insurance) and an acrimonious custody battle.
• Denise Davidson, her boyfriend Leo Cisneros, and their hired killers carefully planned the murder but left a damning trail: digital communications, Western Union money transfers, physical evidence, and witness statements.
• Despite multiple convictions and sentences, the central figure Leo Cisneros remains at large.
• The case underscores how greed and bitterness in failing relationships can escalate to violence, leaving children and families irreparably harmed.

For those interested in lesser-known but compelling true crime cases, this episode provides a thorough, riveting analysis of both police work and human psychology at play.