Nathan Davin showed up at his neighbor's door covered in blood, wearing nothing but boxers, and calmly announced that someone had died inside the Duluth, Minnesota home he shared with his mother. What neighbors would soon learn was that 74-year-old MaeDean Davin had been shot while sleeping in her recliner — allegedly by her own son.
Background
MaeDean Davin was positioned in her recliner on Aug. 16 in a way that indicated she had been sleeping when tragedy struck, according to Assistant St. Louis County Attorney Kirstyn Oye, who spoke during court proceedings quoted by the Duluth News Tribune. Her son, Nathan Davin, allegedly approached his mother and shot her in the face before using a blunt object to cave in her head — an attack so violent it exposed part of her brain.
After the alleged killing, something disturbed investigators about the scene they discovered inside the home. Nathan Davin had apparently spray-painted what authorities described as "satanic" symbols and words throughout the residence, including the phrase "go to hell." The 46-year-old did not remain inside with his mother's body, however.
Instead, clad only in boxers and drenched in blood, Nathan Davin walked to a neighbor's home and knocked on their door. He told the resident that someone had died. He also called another neighbor, according to prior Law&Crime reporting, and said: "My mom's dead. She blew her head off."
The Investigation
Officers with the Duluth Police Department responded to the 1500 block of North 9th Avenue East in Duluth around that time and found Nathan Davin on the front porch of his mother's home.
When asked what happened, he told officers: "I woke up and 'found my mom f—ing dead.'"
Inside, investigators discovered MaeDean Davin lying in her recliner in the living room with a "devastating gunshot wound to her face," according to a probable cause statement obtained by McClatchy News. A "significant amount of blood was on the victim's shirt and the recliner."
A blood-covered Glock 9 mm firearm was recovered from a nightstand, along with ammunition that matched shell casings found downstairs. Nathan Davin appeared intoxicated when officers spoke with him.
When placed in a police vehicle, he reportedly muttered: "wake up to bulls—" and "there went my life." After being left alone in an interview room, investigators said he confessed.
"God d— it. I killed my mother," Nathan Davin allegedly admitted during that interrogation.
The Charges
Nathan Davin was charged with and convicted of second-degree murder in connection with his mother's death. He subsequently received a sentence of 21 years and 9 months in prison — roughly two decades behind bars for killing the woman who raised him. He was given credit for approximately one year served while awaiting trial.
Key Takeaways
- MaeDean Davin, 74, was shot and beaten to death inside her Duluth home on Aug. 16
- Her son Nathan Davin allegedly confessed after being found covered in blood at a neighbor's door
- Investigators recovered a Glock 9 mm and matching ammunition from the scene
- The defendant spray-painted "satanic" symbols and "go to hell" throughout the home
- He was sentenced to 21 years, 9 months in prison for second-degree murder
What's Next
Nathan Davin will serve his sentence through the Minnesota Department of Corrections. While this case appears resolved with sentencing, the community continues to process the violent death of a beloved mother who died in her own home — allegedly at the hands of her son.