Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway has announced a significant legal outcome from her office's Sexually Violent Predator Unit with the civil commitment of Bobby Davis. Following a jury trial, Davis has been deemed a Sexually Violent Predator and placed in the custody of the Department of Mental Health for treatment and control. The jury's decision in St. Louis City points to a broader effort by the state to identify and properly supervise individuals classified under Missouri law as significant threats to community safety, as reported by the Attorney General's Office.
With a troubling history stretching back to the 1980s, including convictions in 1999 for the sodomy of multiple children, Davis's behavior persisted even while incarcerated. This pattern signals a danger that the Attorney General's Office and the Unit dedicated to prosecuting Sexually Violent Predators are intent on mitigating. "My Office is hard at work to fulfill our mission and protect Missourians from sexually violent predators," Hanaway stated. Her office underscores the importance of such legal tools at the state's disposal to prevent future offenses by individuals like Davis.
Expert psychologists at the trial testified that Davis suffers from Antisocial Personality Disorder and Other Specified Paraphilic Disorder, finding that his mental abnormalities greatly increase the likelihood of him committing further sexual violence if left unchecked. The commitment to the Department of Mental Health, ordered on December 11, 2025, is meant to ensure Davis receives the necessary treatment while also safeguarding the public from potential harm.
The successful prosecution, carried out by Assistant Attorneys General Paige Wheeler and Corie Geary-Atkins, exemplifies the Attorney General’s Office’s diligence and the state’s capacity for addressing such complex cases. Acknowledging the work of her Sexually Violent Predator Unit attorneys, Hanaway expressed gratitude for their contribution to victim justice and the enhancement of Missourian safety.
