Newton County, GA — Family members say Roy Davis is a kind and generous man.
“He would give you the shirt off his back,” said Ginger Gaff, Davis’ niece.
Gaff says her uncle’s big heart caused him to end up in a hospital bed fighting for his life.
“It is just a real hard subject to talk about,” Gaff said.
Newton County Sheriff’s deputies say Mark Winder nearly ended the life of the 78-year-old grandfather.
“I have known him for a couple of years or so and he would come on by and he would help me. I would give him a little bit of money and he would help me clean my garage and I’d help him pay probation and stuff like that,” Davis said.
Davis says last week Winder dropped by his home and asked to borrow a tire iron.
“When I turned around I reckon he knocked my brains out with the tire iron,” Davis said.
Investigators say Davis was dragged inside his home and beaten repeatedly while the Winder demanded money.
“They say he drug me around the house, had me tied and bandaged up with old tape,” Davis said.
“Wrapped him up right there and left him to die. He had to play dead to keep the boy from beating him anymore,” Gaff said.
Davis needed more than three dozen staples in his head. He also suffered a broken arm, finger and lost an eye. Gaff says when Davis finally woke up in the hospital, amazingly he was his old happy go lucky self.
“He was actually in a good mood flirting like he always does. He was ready to come home,” Gaff said.
Winder has been charged with several crimes including aggravated assault and aggravated battery. Newton County Sheriff’s Deputies have also arrested a second suspect in the case, Cynthia Miller, reported WGCL.
“He is really lucky he is alive. Real lucky he is alive. I mean with the guns all around here, he could have easily been killed and he probably would have killed him,” Gaff said.
“I can’t believe it. It still blows my mind that boy would do something like that. I can’t believe it,” Davis said.
