Monroe man shot to death; ex-girlfriend's mom charged

April Gibson tries to comfort her father, Phil Gibson, in front of their Winchester Street home in Monroe. Mr. Gibson's son was killed Sunday.

April Gibson tries to comfort her father, Phil Gibson, in front of their Winchester Street home in Monroe. Mr. Gibson's son was killed Sunday.

MONROE - Clustered outside his home, the family and friends of a man fatally shot, allegedly by his ex-girlfriend's mother, described him yesterday as a good man with a big heart.

Phillip Scott "Scottie" Gibson, 30, died Sunday night after Melissa Ann Castro-Davis, 46, shot him as he sat in a vehicle, Monroe County sheriff's deputies said. Judy Gibson, mother of the slain man, said authorities told her that her son was shot twice in the head as he sat in the passenger seat of a vehicle driven by a friend.

Ms. Castro-Davis, of 704 Reisig Street was arrested shortly after the

9:08 p.m. shooting, deputies said. She was arraigned on a charge of open murder late yesterday morning before Monroe County Magistrate James W. Alban. She stood mute, which is recognized as a not-guilty plea, the magistrate said. Her next court appearance is a felony pretrial set for 10 a.m. July 12 before First District Court Judge Terrence Bronson.

Mr. Gibson had dated a 23-year-old daughter of Ms. Castro-Davis for about six months, said Detective Sgt. Enrico Galimberti, who declined to identify the daughter.

"There are allegations of physical abuse, as far as the victim on her daughter," the detective said. "There was no argument preceding [the shooting]."

Mr. Gibson had 19 arrests on his police record, including some for domestic violence, the detective said. It was unclear if any involved the daughter.

Ms. Castro-Davis did not have a police record, he said. The weapon used belonged to one of her sons, he added.

Mrs. Gibson, who had spoken with the friend who saw the shooting, said Ms. Castro-Davis had called her son several times Sunday, asking him to retrieve some clothing he had left with her daughter. Mr. Gibson and his friend spent the day in Jackson, Mich., then stopped by the home in the 800 block of East Seventh Street to pick up the items.

Ms. Castro-Davis appeared with some clothes, holding up a shirt. She asked if it was his. He said it was, and she handed it to him. She then plucked another shirt off her other hand, revealing a gun. She opened fire, striking him twice, his mother said.

"His friend said when she started shooting, he floored it," Mrs. Gibson said.

He stopped a few blocks away and called for an ambulance, Mrs. Gibson said.

A day later, standing in front of the Gibson home at 727 Winchester St., Mr. Gibson's acquaintances struggled to process the news.

"It still seems like a bad dream," his mother said. "I'm still trying to wake up."

"He was a good person," said long-time friend Tonya Roberts. "We were best friends. He'd help me out with anything I needed."

"He just loves kids," said his sister, April Gibson, who has children on whom Mr. Gibson doted. "He was always there for me."

Another friend, Buffy Williams, said he once bought a meal for a homeless man because the man was hungry.

"He had a big heart," she said.

Mr. Gibson worked for Complete Packaging in Monroe and enjoyed fishing, boating, hunting, horseshoes, and spending time with his family and friends.

Visitation will be after 1 p.m. Thursday at the Bacarella Funeral Home, where services will be at 11 a.m. Friday.

Contact Vanessa Winans at:

vwinans@theblade.com

or 419-724-6168.