NJ Town Gadfly Killed, House Set On Fire

(1010 WINS)

After battling a fire at a Teaneck, NJ home on Tuesday night, firefighters found the body of the owner, Joan Davis. Yesterday, it was determined that the 74-year-old was murdered and that the fire was set to cover up the killing. A neighbor told WABC 7, "Now that I hear it's a homicide, I'm shocked. In Teaneck? It doesn't happen here."

Davis was a familiar figure at Teaneck city council meeting and other community workshops. Councilman Elie Katz said, “She was on top of the Council meetings. I wouldn’t say rode hard. She was sometimes very supportive of what the Council was doing. And when she wasn’t supportive, she let us know."

The NY Times reports, "She also wrote hundreds of letters over the decades, blasting officials for municipal waste, mismanagement or malfeasance. She was a staunch advocate of township employees and environmental issues." Another resident said to 1010WINS, “Didn’t always agree with her politics. Didn’t always agree with her various opinions, but she was always respectful of my opinion and I was always respectful of hers, and we would often have nice discussions together."

Sources tell the Record that Davis' hands were bound and there was blunt force trauma to her head. It's unclear if she was dead or alive during the blaze.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on August 20, 2010 2:42 PM

Comments [rss]

exnyer

Come on, go east on the lingo....it happened in Jersey

zincink

It is obvious this lady was murdered.

Can we have a Jerseyist? I think we succeed in terms of murders, car explosions, and corruption.

evbo

gad·fly [gad-flahy]

-noun, pl.-flies.

1. any of various flies, as a stable fly or warble fly, that bite or annoy domestic animals.

2. a person who persistently annoys or provokes others with criticism, schemes, ideas, demands, requests, etc.

Hischick08

What the hell is a "Gadfly?"

Splicer

That question plus five seconds on Google get you the answer.

Hischick08

Geez Gothamist, now that I now what your fancy dancy language means (Gadfly), the little old lady is dead, you could have chosen a different word for your headline. Perhaps, "nudge", "pest", "pain in the butt"...

Tamar Weinberg

I don't think any of them are appropriate for someone who was just murdered. People should honor the dead, not insult them.

This is a real shame.

just saying

Here's another pertinent definition for you.

Stupid:

1.lacking ordinary quickness and keenness of mind; dull.

2. characterized by or proceeding from mental dullness; foolish; senseless: a stupid question.