Accused I-81 road rage killer back in county to face charges

(Chambersburg) — The West Virginia man accused of killing Timothy Davison on I-81 in 2014 is back in Pennsylvania for prosecution.

John Wayne Strawser, 40, is accused of shooting Davison in a case of mistaken identity while the two were driving north on Interstate 81 in Antrim Township at around 1 a.m. Jan. 4, 2014. 

Davison was traveling from Florida to his home in Maine when Strawser allegedly spotted him, believing Davison’s vehicle was the vehicle of a Waynesboro couple he had been following for several hours.

Straswer, believed to be feuding with the couple, allegedly forced Davison’s vehicle into the median, then came back and shot him several times.

Davison died later that night.

The shooting led to a multistate months-long manhunt, with police concerned initially that the killer would strike again. After Strawser was charged with the murder of his girlfriend in West Virginia in 2015, the Waynesboro couple police believed to be Strawser’s true target told police about their interactions with Strawser that night.

Davison’s mother Theresa Allocca told Public Opinion Tuesday that she’s relieved the legal process is finally starting.

“I think it’s great that he’s in Pennsylvania, that things are getting started,” Allocca said. “It’s been three and a half years. It’ll be nice to have all the justice stuff out of the way.”

Allocca said she and her family have been trying to be patient with the process, talking to both West Virginia and Pennsylvania authorities to help move things along.

“It’s just something me and my family want to have done as soon as possible,” Allocca said.

Franklin County District Attorney Matt Fogal began the extradition process for Strawser about a year ago.

“While I have been frustrated by the amount of time it has taken this extradition process to work itself out, I’m very happy that we are finally on track to process this case and do our jobs to seek justice for the victim and his surviving family members,” Fogal said. 

Stawser is charged with first degree murder in the case. He is already serving a life sentence in West Virginia for the death of Amy Lou Buckingham.

He will not be facing the death penalty in Pennsylvania, Fogal said. First degree murder does carry a mandatory life sentence.

Strawser was arraigned Monday evening by Magisterial District Judge Kelly Rock and was denied bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 17.

Behind the shooting

Court records detail the events that led to Stawser allegedly shooting Davison, pieced together over a year-and-a-half-long investigation.

After Strawser was arrested in the death of Buckingham, Jamie and Courtney Breese of Waynesboro came foward in April 2015 to share their story with police.

Courtney Breese had been involved with Strawser, as one of many women he had relationships with. He was also a long-time family friend, and the couple said Strawser was displaying “unpredictable behavior,” according to court documents.

Strawser had been possessive and was acting violently, showing up to places near Courtney Breese, despite living two-and-a-half hours away.

Breese said Strawser was stalking her and sending anonymous text messages.

The night of Dawson’s shooting, the Breeses were leaving a bar in West Virginia when Straswer began calling and texting, threatening the couple while speaking to Jamie Breese.

They had recently had a falling out and had not spoken regularly since. They got on Interstate 81 northbound and drove into Pennsylvania, the same route Davison took that night.

Jamie Breese told investigators that Strawser was calling Courtney names, and threatening them. He wanted to know where they were but they didn’t tell him. Breese believed Strawser was nearby and that he was looking for them.

This was at around 1:30 a.m. Jan. 4, 2014. Meanwhile Davison began calling 911 about someone driving aggressively and shooting at him starting in Hagerstown, Maryland just before 2 a.m.

Jamie Breese told police that when he saw Davison had been killed, he told Courtney Breese that Strawser could have committed the murder. Courtney dismissed the idea at the time.

The Breeses were driving a silver Honda Pilot. Davison was killed while driving a silver Mitsubishi Montero.

Once they had Strawser’s name, investigators were able to connect Strawser to the area through phone call logs. They also connected a .44 caliber Rossi Ranch hand pistol to Strawser, which is believed to be the murder weapon.

Police connected Strawser to a 1997 Ford Ranger that matched the description Davison gave over the phone with 911.

When police spoke with Strawser, he denied being in the area on the day of the shooting, saying he was working as a truck driver west of Franklin County. He confirmed that he knew the Breeses and that he was familiar with the area.

When police brought up Strawser’s phone records, indicating he was in the area at the time of the shooting, and asked Strawser whether something happened between him and Davison, he said, “I don’t remember.”

Strawser is being held at Franklin County Jail.

This story is part of a partnership between WITF and the Chambersburg Public Opinion.