Man arrested in woman’s death, child’s assault

MIDDLEBURG, Fla. (AP) – A north Florida sex offender is being held on suspicion of killing a woman and sexually assaulting her daughter.

The Clay County Sheriff’s Office says Donald Davidson was arrested while driving the dead woman’s van early Tuesday. They say he will likely be charged with murder later Tuesday.

The 37-year-old woman’s body was found Monday night at a home in Middleburg. Her 10-year-old daughter then wandered home. Detectives believe she was molested. The Associated Press is not publishing the dead woman’s name to protect the daughter’s identity.

Detectives say the 34-year-old Davidson is a registered sex offender and had cut off his tracking device. State prison records show that he was released in September after spending four years in prison for molesting a child under the age of 12.