Despite Prosecutors’ and family’s request, Judge sentences man to Life With Parole in 2023 Savannah murder of local mother

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - The man convicted of murdering 30-year-old mother, Sylvasha Lester, in August of 2023 has been sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole.

Gerald Davis was previously found guilty of Lester’s murder on Oct. 6,. and sentencing was this week for his charges.

Davis’s co-defendant is Erika Michelle Cox-Cody. She has not entered a plea yet & is testifying for the state against Davis. Her next hearing isn’t until February.

According to testimony, Davis and his friends got into a fight at a local club with another group of people. After police broke up the fight, an unflattering video of Davis was posted to social media of him passed out on a couch, appearing to have defecated.

Later that night, Davis was seen in a Facebook live recording threatening members of that group while driving by one of their homes.

The investigation discovered Davis later sent a text to a friend about getting a gun and carrying out the threat.

On the night of August 6th, while Ms. Lester was at that house visiting with a friend, Davis was seen on surveillance camera walking up to the home and firing multiple shots at the house.

Ms. Lester, who was sitting on the sofa at the time, was hit by the incoming bullets and died due to the injuries she received. The investigation revealed, the victim was not involved in the feuding from the night before.

Witnesses told detectives, when Davis learned of the death of Ms. Lester, his response was, “F—them h-. Wrong Place, wrong time.”

Davis was arrested just a month after the shooting, in September of 2023.

The DA’s office says, “Overwhelming evidence from social media accounts and the defendant’s lack of remorse regarding the death of Ms. Lester was used to help the jury come back with the guilty verdict on all counts.”

Judge Tammy Stokes handed down the sentencing Monday morning.

“Shooting up a house is a coward’s way out. Get these people off the street. Because they don’t care about life. They don’t care about nobody. It’s a different world out here,” said Sylvasha’s Mother.

“I am dead. You killed me on August 6th, 2023. You killed me, too.”

Lester’s mother testified in court about the impact of losing her daughter and what it means for the two young boys who lost their mom.

“He cries at night. Sometimes he has nightmares. I said, What’s wrong? He was like, I was thinking about my mom. You know? He’s a baby. His dad was murdered. He said, am I an orphan now, Grandma?” she explained to the courtroom during sentencing.

Their mom was visiting a friend’s home that night in 2023, prosecutors explained. Sylvasha wasn’t his intended target. Prosecutors say no one specific was.

Also, during sentencing, a letter was read from the homeowner who was with the victim that night.

“They tried to take my life, but ended up taking my friend, Sylvasha Lester, right in front of me. I have not been the same since that horrible incident. I honestly think if I never reacted to internet backlash, Sylvasha, an innocent person, would still be here today,” said her friend.

Lester’s mother made a final plea to the Judge, following the announcement from prosecutors that Davis had violated his probation 7 previous times.

His jail records reveal he’s been arrested over 15 times in his life, mostly for probation violations.

A jail call was also played in court, where prosecutors say Davis is speaking with a female, saying he wishes he were out of jail to allegedly help her handle issues she’s having with other people.

When Davis learned of the death of Ms. Lester, his response was, “F—them h-. Wrong Place, wrong time.”, the DA’s office said.

The prosecutor urged the judge to sentence Davis to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Judge Stokes said she would take all of that aggravation into consideration.

“Stop letting these people back on these streets. They’re killing each other. It’s the young people that are killing each other. Let them realize you can’t go out there with these guns and shoot up houses and shoot up people. Give them time,” said Sylvasha’s mother.

Judge Stokes also noted his obvious lack of remorse openly to the defendant. She sentenced him to life in prison with the possibility of parole.

Davis will be nearly 70 years old before he can be considered for parole.

He will now be transferred to a prison in Georgia, it’s too soon to know which one.