Florida man stole engagement ring from girlfriend to give to fiancee, investigators say

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — A Florida man stole an engagement ring from his girlfriend to use to propose to another woman, investigators said.

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Volusia County Sheriff’s Office said Joseph Davis, 48, used fake names including “Joe Brown” and “Marcus Brown” when he met both women in 2015 and 2016 through the OKCupid dating app, WFTV reported.

Davis maintained relationships with a girlfriend in Orange City and a fiancee in Orlando. Detectives said neither woman knew his real name.

Investigators said the girlfriend discovered Davis was engaged to the other woman when she looked her up on social media, and saw she was wearing a ring and wedding band that were similar to her own. When she checked her jewelry box the rings, as well as other items, were gone.

The girlfriend contacted the fiancee and was able to get some of the jewelry back. Because of the infidelity, both women cooperated each other and investigators.

The fiancee said she was also fooled by Davis. At one point he took her to his girlfriend’s house while she was at work. He claimed the house was his and asked her to move in with him. The fiancee said she started packing her belongings and taking apart her furniture before he told her the deal had fallen through. She said a laptop and jewelry were also missing from her apartment after Davis moved out and disappeared.

The women were able to track him down through an address they were given from a woman who was supposedly his niece in North Carolina. Authorities contacted the woman, who turned out to be Davis’ sister.

Investigators said Davis was convicted of felonies in Oregon and North Carolina. He currently has an active arrest warrant in Oregon from a hit-and-run crash with injuries.

Authorities said Davis has previously been arrested for possession of fictitious identification, filing a false police report, domestic assault and possession of cocaine with intent to sell.

Investigators are searching for Davis, and released multiple images of him as well as an identifying tattoo on his left arm that both woman described: the words “Only God can judge me.”

Cox Media Group