In January 2006, Judy and Lloyd Davidson kicked off a campaign to get their son’s job back. Judy wrote a letter to Robert Cook, Executive Director of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. In the heading there was a line reading: “Reason for Termination: Unknown.”
She wrote of her son’s dreams:
Marshall has wanted to be a Texas Game Warden since he was a small boy. He has worked extremely hard to reach his goal.
She highlighted his excellent grades in school and his commendable performance on the job. She defended his actions after Wendi’s arrest:
Marshall turned his own sister into the police. This is probably the hardest thing that he had to face in his life. He told Texas Ranger Shawn Palmer and San Angelo Detective Dennis McGuire that he would not investigate his sister that was their job. He has fully cooperated with them in every aspect of their investigation. It is my belief that Ranger Palmer got his feathers ruffled and he turned Marshall into Internal Affairs out of vengeance.
. . . It is my belief that Marshall has suffered a terrible injustice, and Internal Affairs did not do a complete investigation. I feel they trusted and believed a corrupt Texas Ranger over one of their own. I must ask the question “WHY?”
. . . If you choose to uphold Marshall’s termination, it is my belief that you will truly lose the best game warden Texas could possibly have. His integrity and honesty are above reproach.
. . . Ranger Palmer and Detective McGuire should be investigated for Abuse of Power and also lying under oath. My heart and soul are heavy with grief and sorrow for Marshall as he has become a victim of a savage, relentless, and unfounded attack. It is my belief that no one has given him the benefit of doubt, nor examined the evidence.
Should his own department not stand behind him and do further investigating on these issues? I beg you to give this your full consideration and reinstate Marshall to the position of Texas Game Warden. I promise you will not be disappointed.
As always, in Judy’s mind, her children were right and the rest of the world wrong. She saw both of her children as victims of the cruelty of others, and grieved for their suffering. But, she never once shed a tear for the terrible loss of life suffered by the 24-year-old airman who was the father of her grandson.
Lloyd’s letter was much the same, but he opened with an attack before launching into the positive attributes of his son:
I have been reluctant to reflect my thoughts, thinking with patience, I would see justice and good prevail.
Several months ago, I was warned that the investigators may use several tools. One, break people financially, thus making it difficult to fight back. Secondly, destroy the entire family, hoping this would generate a confession. Third, lie and fabricate evidence, anything goes. It appears the predictions have all materialized to some degree, mostly without success.
It seems vengeance is a trademark of Shawn Palmer. Dennis McGuire and Ron Sanders are merely puppets. They are no longer investigators seeking the truth. I believe the trio have lied, given false statements, fabricated evidence and manipulated those of authority.
He wrote about the strength of Marshall’s character—“as solid as an oak”—and the letters of recommendation included in his son’s fight to keep his job.
Marshall has steadfastly worked along the border, where it has become a war zone, approaching that of Iraq. Marshall has given his all; he has put his life on the line every day. Now, Marshall is being repaid with betrayal and hung-out to dry, by those who should be watching his back.
He called the termination a “travesty of justice” and reminded Cook of the promise made to Marshall when he graduated from the academy as a Game Warden:
One of the speakers said to all of the graduates “you have the entire department backing you, you have the entire State of Texas backing you.” Now is the time to fulfill this promise.
Lloyd had to have known about Marshall’s deception of law enforcement. After all, he had been an integral part of some of it. He did not acknowledge Wendi’s role in her brother’s downfall. Family was first. Always. He would attack anyone who threatened that unit—most particularly the investigators laboring to bring his daughter to justice.
At the end of the month, Executive Director Robert Cook sent his response—separate yet identical letters to Judy and Lloyd Davidson, written in the stuffy style of a bureaucratic brush-off:
I received your correspondence dated January 10, 2006, regarding your son and former Texas Game Warden Marshall Davidson. Mr. Davidson’s complaint concerning his termination is currently pending. I am forwarding your letter to Human Resources to be included with that complaint. Your allegations regarding law enforcement personnel from other agencies will be provided to those agencies for review.
Throughout the month of January and into February, Palmer continued to run down leads, interviewing anyone who was connected to the case in any way. On February 27, he met Wendi and attorney Jenny Campassi at the Shannon Medical Center in San Angelo.
Wendi agreed to provide a sample of her blood, signing the consent form that made it official. Palmer took two purple-top tubes of her blood into custody as evidence in her murder trial. Her case was on the docket in three weeks—slated to begin on Monday, March 20, 2006.
But jury selection didn’t begin that day because of a defense motion. Attorney Tom Davidson had withdrawn from the case in December. Wendi’s new defense lawyers, Fred C. Brigman III, Christi Manning and Melvin Gray, explained their need for additional time to prepare their case. District Judge Tom Gossett granted their request.
The trial was postponed until April 17, much to the distress of the Severance family, whose pursuit of justice for Michael had now passed the fourteen-month mark. Palmer took advantage of the extension to continue seeking evidence to strengthen the state’s case.
On March 31, Lloyd and Judy jointly signed a letter to Robert Cook at Texas Parks and Wildlife. After thanking him for his response to the previous letters, they attacked “the propaganda that Ranger Shawn Palmer has perpetrated about Warden Marshall Davidson.” They provided a bullet-point list of six one-sided arguments in support of their son and five in condemnation of Palmer and the other investigators.
The letter ended:
I can easily point out a minimum of twenty-four lies told by the investigators. All facts and evidence lead to the same conclusion, Ranger Palmer created false accusations against Warden Davidson to satisfy his personal need for revenge. Again, I emphasize common sense in this matter. As Marshall has performed in exemplary fashion, it is time to return Marshall back to work as Texas Game Warden Marshall Davidson. As my wife and I were witnesses to many of the events, we look forward to a discussion with you. And again thank you for your time and consideration.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department did not budge. It was clear to the agency that there was dishonesty and revenge at work in this case—but all of it came from the David sons’ camp.
State District Judge Tom Gossett granted a defense motion to postpone the trial until the week of May 15 to allow Wendi Davidson’s new legal team time to get an analysis from their own expert on the DNA evidence in the case. The prosecutor was not pleased.
The biggest hardship caused by the delay fell on the family and friends of deceased victim Michael Severance. Many had to change travel and vacation plans to come to San Angelo from far-flung Maine or nearby Abilene to testify or observe the trial. But worst of all, the fate of the youn gest victim, 17-month-old Shane Severance, remained on hold pending the outcome of the criminal trial against his mother.