Beaufort will remember devoted mom and teacher killed by driver fleeing ICE agents
Friends and family will gather in Beaufort Friday to remember a native daughter killed last week in Savannah when her car was struck by a vehicle driven by a man fleeing ICE agents.
Dr. Linda Davis, 52, described as a devoted wife, mother, sister, colleague, friend and teacher, was a special education teacher at Hesse K-8 School in Savannah. She was on her way to work at the time of the crash.
Davis’ maiden name was Murray, and she grew up in Beaufort, where she graduated from Battery Creek High School.
On Feb. 16, ICE law enforcement officers attempted to apprehend Oscar Vasquez Lopez, who was in the U.S. illegally from Guatemala. During the operation, according to a statement released by ICE, officers observed Vasquez Lopez enter a vehicle and attempted a traffic stop.
Vasquez Lopez initially complied but then fled the scene, making a U-turn and running a red light before colliding with a vehicle driven by Davis, who died at the scene, according to ICE.
Because of the nature of the tragedy, family members said, they have not had the opportunity to fully say goodbye to Linda, making the grieving process especially difficult.
Toward that end, a public visitation is planned from 5-7 p.m. Friday in the media center at Battery Creek, which is located at 1 Blue Dolphin Drive.
The 18-year educator poured herself into her community and mentored countless students and individuals, according to those who knew her, leaving a legacy that “will live in the lives of those she touched.”
“Linda was about service and love to others,” Consweulo Davis, Linda Davis’ wife, told the Beaufort Gazette and Island Packet Monday. “Unconditional love without judgment, without pretense, just unconditional.”
Davis called her wife “fabulous in every sense of the word,” from her sense of fashion to her personality, “which would light up a room.”
The couple would have celebrated their fourth wedding anniversary in April.
At this time, the family is focusing on Davis’ contributions during her life — not the circumstances of her death.
But when the time is right, family members added, they will seek answers.
“Dr. Linda Davis should still be with our family and part of this community,” the family said in a statement.
Andrea (Murray) Chang, Davis’ sister, said Linda went to school at Broad River Elementary, Robert Smalls Middle School and graduated from Battery Creek High School in 1991. All three schools are in Beaufort.
She taught at Lady’s Island Elementary before moving from Beaufort to Savannah four years ago.
Her mother, Diane M. Murray, who was a nurse at Battery Creek High School for 35 years, still lives in Beaufort while her father, James Murray Jr., is a resident of Florence.
Besides her parents and her wife, Davis leaves behind three sisters and seven children including one foster child, three stepchidren and four of her own.
“She was a fun-loving sister and mother,” Andrea Chang said. “High energy. Very creative.”
Davis’ family and friends will be at the visitation, which is open to the public, Chang said.
Another memorial is planned March 7 in Savannah.
A financial support page has been established to help the family.
This story was originally published February 23, 2026 at 2:14 PM.
