Derrick Lamont Davis’ mother, Brenda Evans, still remembers that Sunday 27 years ago. That’s when she got a call saying her son was killed.
“Brenda, I’m just going to have to tell you, Derrick is dead,” she remembered the caller saying.
Evans said she saw Davis that morning. He smiled and waved. “I didn’t know that was going to be the last that I saw him,” she said.
Later that day, Davis was stabbed to death by Lewis Conway Jr. on Patton Lane in front of an apartment complex that still stands nearly 30 years later. Evans says her son lost his life over $30.
“Lewis Conway… he said that Derrick owed him some money for some drugs, I didn’t know nothing about this,” she said.
Davis was just 21 years old.
Conway was sentenced to 20 years in prison but ended up serving 8 years, and another 12 on parole.
He announced Tuesday night he’s running to represent District 1 on the Austin City Council. In an interview with KXAN, Conway said, because the state law on eligibility is so vague, he believes he should be able to run.
State officials said they’re unaware of this happening before locally. Therefore another candidate running for the same office would have to challenge his eligibility.
People like Darwin Hamilton, who worked with Conway to push for fair hiring practice in Austin, say Conway deserves this chance.
“I have led him. He has led me. And I believe in his capacity in his leadership,” Hamilton said. “I’ve watched it — witnessed over the last several years.”
But Evans said, “I would protest with every bone in my body to get people to listen to me because I don’t think he’s right for that job.”
She added, no matter how many years have passed, she doesn’t think Conway’s a changed man. “He hasn’t paid enough. Not for me. My son paid with his life, and I never get him back.”
(Story from KXAN)