David Gavitt
Wrongfully convicted: April 18, 1986
Exonerated: June 6, 2012
Ionia County
David Gavitt was wrongfully convicted of setting fire to his house and killing his whole family in 1985.
David’s innocence was finally demonstrated 27 years later, when the Innocence Clinic retained world renowned fire experts who were able to prove that David had been convicted on the basis of junk science, and there was in fact no evidence of guilt at all.
David was exonerated on June 6, 2012, when the Ionia County prosecutor agreed that the evidence against David was highly flawed, and joined the clinic’s motion to vacate the conviction and dismiss all charges.
David’s was the first arson case in which the clinic achieved an exoneration.
More details available at:
- The National Registry of Exonerations: David Gavitt
- NBC News: “Trial by Fire: Junk Science Sent Dad to Prison for Killing Wife, Kids”
- MLive: “Set free after 1986 Ionia murder conviction, David Gavitt coming to terms with life”
- Associated Press: “Michigan man cleared of murder now fights for compensation”