American Missionary Dead After Shooting in Mexico

Reported by: Polo Sandoval
Reported by: Will Ripley
Last Update: 5:40 pm

PHARR - An American missionary is dead after she and her husband came under attack south of the border near Reynosa.

Pharr police Chief Ruben Villescas says the husband and wife came under fire in Mexico. The husband rushed his wife to the Pharr International Bridge. She'd been shot in the head.

Sam and Nancy Davis were traveling in a Chevy pickup on the highway between Reynosa and San Fernando on Wednesday afternoon. Intelligence sources tell us they tried driving through a cartel roadblock. That's when gunmen opened fire.

Investigators say preliminary details show the couple was chased into Reynosa where more shots were fired. Significant damage could be seen on the rear of the truck. We don't what caused that damage. We also saw what appeared to be blood smears on the passenger side of the pickup as it was processed by Pharr investigators.

CHANNEL 5 NEWS has confirmed the Mexican military is now involved in the investigation. Mexican soldiers are telling us there was a shootout in Reynosa on Wednesday afternoon.

CHANNEL 5 NEWS has found out that the couple has been living in Mexico for quite some time. Several of Sam and Nancy Davis' closest friends tell us they've been living in Mexico since the mid-’70s.

We understand they're part of a non-denominational organization of missionaries known as the Gospel Proclaimers.

According to several religious websites, Nancy Davis served in Mexico for more than 35 years. As one of her friends put it, she gave her life for her people.

We understand from one close friend Davis' funeral could be held in Texas; however, her husband has not made any official statements to the media.

Nancy Davis was 59. Her friends and fellow missionaries are asking everyone to pray for the family, especially her widowed husband Sam.

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