Inside The Horrifying Crime Allegedly Committed By Katy Perry's Ex
Singer Katy Perry probably never imagined that her former boyfriend, actor Johnny Lewis, would turn out to be an alleged killer. The couple started dating in 2006, and their relationship lasted about 18 months (via BBC). She is said to have written the songs "The One That Got Away" and "Circle the Drain" with Lewis as one of her inspirations. Perry broke up with Lewis partly to focus on her rising pop career and partly because he was troubled, and she couldn't help him, a source told Us Weekly. But there was no way that Perry could have known that years after their relationship ended that Lewis' life would reportedly take a dark and disturbing turn.
Lewis had enjoyed some success as an actor. His first big break was a role on the popular series "The O.C.," and he later became best known as Kip "Half-Sack" Epps on the biker gang drama "Sons of Anarchy" (via Los Angeles Magazine). But after leaving "Sons of Anarchy" in 2009, Lewis seemed to be at loose ends. Reported personal problems, mental health issues, and challenging life events may have pushed Lewis over the edge, leading him to allegedly commit the grisly murder of his 81-year-old landlord Catherine Davis.
Johnny Lewis had a criminal record
Johnny Lewis had several run-ins with police earlier in 2012 (via E! Online). He got into an altercation in January, which led to two felony counts of assault. The next month, Lewis was arrested twice and pleaded no contest to the charges stemming from the battery of a woman. There was seemingly no rhyme or reason to the string of violent offenses committed by Lewis.
Lewis ended up spending much of his time behind bars in 2012 as his cases, which also included attempted burglary, worked their way through the system. Lewis also received treatment at a facility that helps those struggling with drug, alcohol, and mental issues for a time. He was finally released from prison on September 21, only five days before the murder.
With the help of his father, Lewis rented a room in the home of Catherine Davis, a real estate agent. Davis, according to Los Angeles Magazine, supported the arts and let a variety of creative professionals stay at her mansion, which was called the Writers' Villa. Lewis had lived there before, back in 2009. Davis was known as "Miss Cathy" by the villa's residents, and she provided a nurturing environment that Lewis' father hoped would benefit his troubled son.
If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.
Police think Johnny Lewis may have killed his landlord
Only a short while after his arrival at the Writers' Villa, Lewis reportedly committed a series of strange and deeply disturbing acts on September 26, 2012. Apparently, without any provocation, the 28-year-old allegedly attacked Davis in her bedroom. She was beaten so badly that her skull was fractured. "Brain and tissue matter [were] seen on the floor around her," according to the coroner's office report (via Los Angeles Magazine). There were also puncture marks on her cheek as well. Her cause of death was blunt-force trauma and manual strangulation (via E! Online). Lewis also may have killed Davis' cat and left its body in the shower.
Lewis purportedly then went to the neighbors' house and supposedly assaulted one of the homeowners and a painter who was working for them (via BBC). According to police, he likely returned to the villa and somehow either fell or jumped from the house, landing his back on the driveway. The fall caused Lewis to suffer a fatal head injury. When officers arrived, they found two dead bodies and initially had few answers about what had happened.
Possible mental health issues
How could this be the same Johnny Lewis who left "Sons of Anarchy" over its violent content? Some news reports speculated about possible drug use, but his autopsy showed that he had no drugs in his system (via Scientology Money Project). It also showed that the fall killed him, but it couldn't determine whether he committed suicide or died accidentally. The medical examiner declared it an accidental death.
The exact causes of what reportedly drove Lewis may never be known, but those who knew Lewis spoke about how he struggled with mental health issues. His lawyer revealed that Lewis had been experiencing "psychosis" and "it did impede his judgment" (via E! Online). He supposedly refused to take any medication to help treat his mental health condition (via Los Angeles Magazine). His friend, actress Shannon Woodward, described him as "very, very ill" on Twitter (via E! Online). "His actions were a despicable result of that."
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.