Witnesses say Chumley the ringleader

Co-defendants testify during man’s second murder trial

FAYETTEVILLE — Several co-defendants pointed fingers Thursday at Mark Edward Chumley as the one who orchestrated the torture and killing of a Fayetteville woman in 2015.

Chumley, 49, is charged in Washington County Circuit Court with accomplice to capital murder in the killing of Victoria Annabeth Davis, known as Tori, on Aug. 19, 2015. Police said Davis, 24, of 433 S. Hill Ave., was held captive at her home for hours and beaten by Chumley and others. She died of blunt force trauma.

Chumley’s first trial in May ended in mistrial. He faces life in prison without parole or the death penalty if convicted.

The other defendants are John Christopher Davis, 30, who is Tori’s husband; Christopher Treat, 32; his wife, Desire Amber Treat, 32; and Rebecca Lee Lloyd, 39.

Among those testifying Thursday was Desire Treat who described the beating and Chumley’s role.

“We were taking turns,” she said. “Mark would say, ‘Somebody else hit her.’” Chumley also told Treat to rape Tori Davis with a baseball bat, Treat said. When she was unable to, Chumley sent John Davis for chainsaw oil and tried himself, she said.

Treat said she felt threatened by Chumley, who she said was angry and carrying a baseball bat.

“He wanted to hurt somebody,” Treat said. “So, why not me next?”

Chumley thought Tori Davis was trying to set him up for drug possession or child abuse, according to Treat and other witnesses.

John Davis told jurors Chumley was the first to hit Tori with a bat and he hit her

once himself.

“Mark Chumley told me she was cheating on me with my brother,” Davis said. “And, Mark Chumley knows I have an anger problem, the slightest little anything can set me off.”

Davis said Chumley told him he would kill him if he tried to stop things and sent him for a battery charger and connected it to Tori Davis’ breasts and plugged it in. Later, Chumley ordered the group to take Tori Davis to a small house on the property and shot her up with some substance, Davis said.

Tori Davis’ body was locked in that house when police arrived.

Chumley also directed the group to burn evidence and

Chumley