Justice Department reopens case, rules officer's death a homicide

[Gary Dee]

BALD HEAD ISLAND -- The US Justice Department re-opened a six-year-old case and has ruled it a homicide.

Davina Jones died from a gunshot wound to the head while on duty in October of 1999. Local investigators ruled it a suicide but Davina's family did not accept the ruling.

For six years Davina Jones's family has searched for answers and worked to prove their daughter died at the hands of a killer.

Brunswick County DA Rex Gore said, "What we're after here is to find out as much as we can, know the truth, and if there's a murderer out there we need to know it."

Loy Buff, Davina Jones's father, said, "I know I've aged 20 years in the six; it's been very trying on my family, all of us, and were just hopeful that now we have some semblance of justice for our loved one."

Local investigators ruled Davina's death a suicide, saying she killed herself while on duty back in October of 1999.

The justice department has disagreed, ruling that someone killed the Bald Head Island police officer.

DA Rex Gore says the SBI is still investigating the case and he plans to look into it again as well.

"If we made a mistake, lets find it, and correct it, lets look and see if we can identify any suspects, shed any light on what happened that night."

The ruling by the Department of Justice also means Davina's family will get benefits, but that's not Loy's top priority.

"It's about justice for my daughter. I mean, the benefits are nice, but they don't come anywhere near repaying me for the monies I've already spent," Mr. Buff said.

Until light can be shed on what really happened the night of October 22, 1999 the DA can only offer condolences.

"I'm hoping they can find a great deal of comfort in the decisions and move on in their lives," Gore said.

This isn't the first time someone has disagreed with the local investigation's findings. Last July a civil judge ruled the case a homicide. In July of this year a civil appeals court agreed.