AUSTIN, Texas — A Travis County jury on Friday sentenced Brian Davis, 43, to 60 years in prison after convicting him of murder in the 2023 killing of a man with a “battleaxe-style hatchet.”
Jurors also sentenced Davis to 25 years for robbery and five years for evading arrest, with all sentences to run concurrently in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Jury selection began Aug. 24, and the state started presenting evidence the following day. The trial was briefly interrupted Aug. 26 after Davis requested a competency evaluation; the court found him competent to proceed, and testimony continued.
Jurors returned guilty verdicts and issued the sentence Aug. 28.
According to a 2023 arrest affidavit, Davis and his girlfriend had been staying at the home of John Walker Oden, 53. Just after midnight on Oct. 3, 2023, Oden told the couple they could no longer stay with him and offered to drive them to the hospital to address a medical issue. While Oden was driving, Davis attacked him from the backseat with a battleaxe-style hatchet, according to investigators.
After the vehicle came to a stop on the sidewalk along the frontage road in the 12100 block of North MoPac Expressway, Davis pulled Oden from the car, got into the driver’s seat and drove over him, investigators said.
When a warrant was issued for Davis’ arrest, members of the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force found he was already in the Travis County Jail on charges of attempted carjacking and evading a peace officer, offenses authorities said he committed later that same morning.
Davis was indicted on the murder charge Dec. 13, 2023. The charge was later enhanced due to two prior prison terms for robbery, burglary of a habitation and deadly conduct. He was also indicted on robbery and evading arrest charges, which were later consolidated with the murder case for trial.
Assistant District Attorneys Kate Hall and Jacques Roussel prosecuted the case, with support from Victim Counselor Ashlie Jones, Investigator Mike Henderson, Paralegal Hannah Joy and Legal Secretary Chardell Johnson. Austin Police Detective Manuel Hernandez led the investigation.
“Our office hopes this conviction honors the victim and that it continues to help his family with their healing process,” Travis County District Attorney José Garza said in a statement. “We are grateful to our team and law enforcement partners for their tireless work on this case, which ultimately brought justice to the victim and his family.”
Davis was initially charged with capital murder following his arrest in October 2023 and was held on a combined bond of $1.55 million.