Detective releases new details in death of GSU student found in mall

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — A murder suspect accused of killing his girlfriend and leaving her body at a local shopping mall was in court Thursday.

Channel 2's Tyisha Fernandes spoke to some of the people who were in the courtroom to support the suspect.

Fernandes spotted the three young men and an older woman who appeared to be the suspect's mother.

They admitted that they were there to support Emmett Davis, 21, who is accused of killing his girlfriend, Silling Man, 19. A preliminary hearing was held for Davis on Thursday.

Fernandes said Davis sat in silence during the hearing.

In November 2017, investigators said they found Man dead in the abandoned food court of the Gwinnett Place Mall.

“The first thing I noticed is what appeared to be a lot of blood and hair all over the floor,” said Detective Brian Dormey, with the Gwinnett County Police Department.

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Police said Davis killed her by cutting off her air supply. They believe he sat on her chest.

Investigators didn’t discover her body inside the mall until about a month after she was killed.

“Her fingers had been mummified and she was not recognizable,” Dormey said.

Once police identified Man, they spoke to her relatives who said Davis had an unhealthy relationship with the woman.

Police then spoke to Davis on the phone.

“I asked him the last time he saw her. He said a couple of weeks ago, which was not possible. She already passed since then,” Dormey said.

Police said they found one of Davis’ fingerprints at the crime scene and they arrested him about two weeks ago.

Davis didn't say a word during the hearing. Fernandes said he didn't react to anything that was said either.

A few of the victim's relatives had to leave the courtroom because they couldn't were so upset by the details of the murder.

Cox Media Group