MAYS LANDING — An Atlantic County grand jury indicted a North Wildwood man Tuesday afternoon in connection with the stabbing death last summer of a British tourist, Prosecutor Ted Housel announced Aug. 5.
Robert Davies, 47, was indicted on charges of murder, aggravated manslaughter, manslaughter and various weapons charges, Assistant Prosecutor William Merz, who presented the case to the grand jury, said. The indictment was handed up to Superior Court Judge James Isman.
Bail was set at $500,000 cash or bond on the murder count.
Davies, a 47-year-old painter who resided in the 700-block New York Avenue, North Wildwood is accused of stabbing to death Lavern P. Ritch, of Wales, during an altercation near Maynard’s Tavern in Margate during the early morning hours of Aug. 12, 2007.
Police said that Davies was in a fight with another individual when Ritch, who was not involved in the altercation, acted like a good Samaritan and attempted to break it up. Davies then stabbed Ritch once in the chest before fleeing the scene and disposing of the knife and other physical evidence of the crime.
Davies was arrested and charged on Aug. 23, 2007 with the killing.
Police found Ritch when they responded to an emergency call. He was pronounced dead at AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center. The Atlantic County medical examiner said Ritch sustained a single knife wound to the heart.
Ritch, a 37-year-old swimming coach and television personality in Great Britain, was on vacation here visiting friends from Cherry Hill at the time of his death.
Davies is registered as a Tier II sex offender under Megan’s Law. He served over three years in state prison, from May 26, 2000 to Aug. 29, 2003, for criminal sexual contact and endangering the welfare of a child.
Contact Hart at (609) 886-8600 Ext 35 or at: jhart@cmcherald.com
Cape May – The number one reason I didn’t vote for Donald Trump was January 6th and I found it incredibly sad that so many Americans turned their back on what happened that day when voting. I respect that the…
