Jaykwan D. Hardy, 26, was identified as the man found dead following the March 11, 2023, fire at a house in the 5300 block of Gardendale Avenue in Trotwood.
Trotwood firefighters found Hardy’s body and multiple dogs, which survived, inside the house and opened a homicide investigation.
Davis was arrested May 11 during a traffic stop on Salem Avenue.
He caused Hardy’s death and a fire or explosion to the house, according to an affidavit filed in Montgomery County Municipal Court - Western Division.
The fire was among a spate of fires in March 2023 in Montgomery County where eight people were found dead.
In addition to the Gardendale Avenue fire and homicide, there were three other fires with seven people found dead in Dayton — March 5 on Ashwood Avenue, March 8 on North Broadway Street and March 13 on Bierce Avenue. Five people were found dead following the fire on North Broadway Street, which was the only involving multiple fatalities.
Davis will be sentenced May 29 by Judge Dennis Adkins to between 18 and 20 years in prison because “the offenses were committed separately or with separate animus and do not merge at sentencing,” the plea agreement stated.
The nine charges for which he was indicted, four counts of murder, one count of aggravated burglary, two counts of felonious assault, and single counts of aggravated arson and having weapons while under disability were dismissed.
Davis remains held on $1 million bail in the Montgomery County Jail.
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