True Crime Chronicles: Senseless murder of Berryville man in 2009 results in life in prison for killer
- Dennis McCaslin
- Apr 29, 2025
- 2 min read
Evin L. Davis, ADC is serving a life sentence at the Varner Unit in Arkansas, with no parole eligibility, following his conviction for the 2009 murder of 24-year-old Christopher Helmlinger.
Born December 24, 1974, in Missouri, Evin L. Davis had a criminal record starting in his teens. Missouri courts convicted him of second-degree burglary in 1991, 1997, and 2000. He used aliases, including Ervin Davis and Charles Keith Hedstrom, to avoid detection.
Davi, fled Missouri in 2008 after stealing a $5,000 1985 Chevrolet pickup. He settled in Arkansas, working at a Tyson Foods plant in Green Forest under the alias Charles Hedstrom.
A 2010 Missouri probation violation underscored his ongoing legal issues.
In late September or early October 2009, Davis shot and killed Christopher Helmlinger, a 24-year-old Berryville resident, to steal his identity. Helmlinger, who had autism and worked with Davis at the Tyson plant, was last seen by coworkers on September 28, 2009.
His family reported him missing on October 4. On October 18, authorities found his body in a shallow grave behind Glen Echo Trailer Park in Berryville, killed by a single gunshot to the head.
Prosecutors said Davis aimed to use Helmlinger’s identity to evade Missouri authorities, possibly taking a small amount of cash.
Davis surrendered to police in McAllen, Texas, on November 1, 2009, and was extradited to Arkansas. Initially charged with capital murder, he pleaded guilty to first-degree murder on May 12, 2010, in Carroll County Circuit Court before Judge Keith Crow.
A plea deal, negotiated by prosecutor Tony Rogers and defense attorney Bill James, avoided a death penalty trial and secured a life sentence without parole. Davis also received a six-year sentence for non-financial identity fraud, related to using a relative’s identity since 2008.
His wife, Melissa Davis, 37, was convicted of two counts of hindering apprehension and sentenced to 10 years’ probation for not revealing his whereabouts. Detainers from Missouri and an out-of-state sheriff’s office, issued in 2010, were lifted by 2012.
At Varner Unit, Davis has had minor infractions, including contraband possession and unexcused absence in 2017. A 2018 assessment classified him as minimum risk, and his C4 custody status indicates a routine prison assignment.
He remains in custody with no release date.Victim and Community Impact
Christopher Helmlinger, born September 20, 1985, attended Forerunner House of Prayer.
His autism affected communication, but he lived independently and worked at Tyson Foods.
His murder devastated his parents, Randy Lynn Helmlinger and Karla Lee Davis, and the Berryville community.
A memorial fund was set up at Arvest Bank, and his funeral on October 26, 2009, was held at Berryville Memorial Park Cemetery.
