Man Accused Of Murdering His Animal Activist Mother After She Evicts Him For 'Poor Behavior'

On Oct. 10, 2022, Kevin Kline found his wife, Karly Cantrell, 44, in a pool of blood and dead in her home in Middleton, Idaho. According to the Idaho Statesman, chunks of her hair and skin were missing.

Cantrell, an avid animal advocate, was the executive director of the West Valley Humane Society.

Levi Isaac Davis, Cantrell’s 26-year-old son, was arrested the following day for stabbing her to death. The Canyon County Prosecutor’s Office stated in a criminal complaint that Davis stabbed his mother in the neck and abdomen. He has been charged with second-degree murder and is being held of a $5 million bond, reported PEOPLE.

Canyon County Deputy Prosecutor Sean Jorgensen stated during the arraignment that the investigation is ongoing, and the charges against Davis may be upgraded to first-degree murder.

Davis had recently been evicted from the home he shared with Cantrell and Kline. KTVB stated that Cantrell kicked her son out for “poor behavior”.

The officers who arrested Davis found that he had a “deep laceration” on his upper right thigh. He also had a circular burn mark on his arm and a large scratch on the top of his left hand. The New York Post stated that officers also found bloodstained clothes in the man’s car and bedroom.

Two cars matching the description of Davis’s vehicle were seen by neighbors at Cantrell’s home the morning she died, reported The Idaho Statesman, but he told officers that he didn’t wake up until 10:30 a.m. that morning and that nobody had used his car. He showed no emotion when talking to authorities about the death of his mother. According to KTVB, he also pretended to fall asleep during the police interview.

Davis is due back in court on Oct. 19.

The West Valley Humane Society where Cantrell worked posted a tribute to her on Facebook, saying in part, “Karly was the heart and soul of West Valley Humane Society and a fierce advocate for both animals and people in need. She was a kind, compassionate and empathetic friend, mother, wife, grandmother and daughter. Her impact on the world moves far past the animal shelter and directly into the hearts of the many she took under her wing."