ELWOOD, Ind. —
Tina Alvey-Davis was so full of life and energy that she could rarely sit still, her mother, Linda Alvey, joked.
“She’d always have to be doing something,” Linda said. “She was happy, excited and always smiling.”
Adding to Tina’s exuberance were her sons, now ages 13 and 10. Her love for them was “crazy,” Linda said.
“When she went to her oldest’s ball games you would think it was the World Series,” Linda recalled. “Her eyes sparkled when it came to anything with those kids.”
Tina, 29, was killed Feb. 21, 2007, after her husband, 2nd Lt. Bryan L. Davis, 28, slit her throat. He then shot himself, committing suicide in the Fort Benning, Ga., home the two shared. He had completed officer candidate school a few months before and had been deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq.
Linda, along with Tina’s best friend, Heather Chandler-Robleto of Anderson, knew of the abuse Tina had suffered at the hands of Bryan Davis. The night before the murder, Heather spoke by phone to Tina who said she planned to tell her husband she was leaving him. That was the last call the two friends ever shared.
Tina saw the best in everyone, believing people should receive several chances to improve their lives.
“She was little but she was very tough,” Linda said. “She would do anything. Tina was fearless and always wanted to try something new. That’s why she joined the National Guard.”
Linda and Tina’s father Steven Alvey — who is a Vietnam veteran — were proud of their daughter, especially when she decided to join the Guard. Linda joked that she was worried about her safety, of course, but knew there was no telling Tina what to do.
A native of Elwood, Tina moved from the city about 10 years ago. Tina, who was taking classes to become a nurse, was still a member of the Guard when she was killed.
“What happened devastated the whole family,” Linda said. “It is hard to get over something like that. We never thought she’d be in a relationship like that. She was the type of person that wouldn’t let anyone control her. She was such a vibrant and independent person. But he did. He controlled her.”
Faces of Domestic Violence
Related Photos
-
Tina Alvey-Davis
Discussion
Tina Alvey-Davis: 'Excited, and always smiling'
Elwood native killed at Army base by soldier husband
- Faces of Domestic Violence
-
-
Who can stop domestic violence? You
The elimination of abuse in relationships — with time, cooperation and commitment — is possible, said Colleen Yeakle, coordinator of the Indiana Coalition of Domestic Violence’s (ICADV) prevention initiative.
-
Legislation comes a long way, but more change needed
Each year the Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence sets its legislative priorities based on year-round discussions with its members and legislators to see what needs are out there and what is going on in the field.
-
Children affected by abuse too
While some may think the atmosphere at Alternatives, the Anderson domestic violence shelter, would be a somber one, instead it is a building filled with laughter and joy.
-
Kristy Gissendanner: 'Vivacious and sweet'
Six-day-old Gabrielle Gissendanner and her 18-month-old brother Michael weren’t far from their mom when Harry Gissendanner shot and killed Kristy in their Anderson home in 2004.
-
John Davis: ‘Defined by your actions and inactions’
John Davis wants his pain to make a difference. He’s hopeful sharing what he experienced and witnessed growing up will empower someone else to leave a dangerous situation or avoid it altogether.
-
‘It was life-altering’
Casey Huffman should have taken her son Camdon to his first day of kindergarten this year. She should be picking out a Halloween costume for him. She should be thinking about how to help him achieve his hopes and dreams. Instead, Casey mourns over his all-too-early death.
-
Tina Tomlinson: 'She was a hoot'
Tina Tomlinson was just “plain fun,” her family recalled. The mother of two and dedicated grandmother was someone family could look to for a good time.
-
Domestic violence prevention is possible, expert says
Gender stereotypes are just one thing that Todd Cawthorn and five other speakers, during a 90-minute panel discussion Tuesday night, talked about that create an environment where domestic violence is accepted.
-
Teens can be victims of domestic violence, too
Dating violence has been seen locally in relationships as young as sixth grade, Alternatives Inc. prevention specialist Todd Cawthorn said.
-
Justice for victims
While a protective order is an important piece of the legal puzzle that domestic violence victims have to solve, Judge Stephen Clase stresses to each that it is, after all, “just a piece of paper.” “They won’t stop a knife or a bullet,” he said. “I tell them they need to be on guard at all times.”
- More Faces of Domestic Violence Headlines
-
Fatal Hot Air Balloon Accident in Turkey
Tornadoes, Storms Strike Midwest
'Babyland': Camp Lejeune's Toxic Legacy?
Raw: Heavy Tornado Damage in Shawnee, Okla
Probe Begins After Conn. Commuter Trains Crash
NTSB Begins Investigation Into Conn. Train Crash
Lotto Fever Sweeps the Country
Conn. Commuter Trains Collide; 60 Go to Hospital
Coffee Run Leads to Hatchet Hitchhiker Arrest
Fmr. IRS Head Insists No Politics in Targeting
CDC: Fecal Bacteria Common in Swimming Pools
$1 Million in Jewels Stolen at Cannes Film Fest
NM Mom Chases Down Child Abductor
Raw: Crash Sends Car Into Fla. Pool
Raw: Obama Sits Down With Elementary Kids
Raw: Bear Falls From Tampa Tree
Ousted IRS Chief: Errors Not Caused by Politics
Terror Suspect Due in Court in Idaho Friday
Raw: Driver Ejected From Truck, Over Bridge
Could Tobacco Be the Next Biofuel?
