Westchester County prosecutors have two new suspects in a controversial 1996 double murder of an upstate millionaire that spawned five trials and an overturned conviction — but no answers.
Now, Westchester DA Miriam Rocah has set her sights on a pair of potential culprits who brutally killed Archie Harris, whose estate was worth in excess of $2 million at the time of his death, and his home health aide inside his Eastchester home, prosecutors announced.
“An extensive and ongoing investigation was undertaken by my Conviction Review Unit, following a request in 2023, has identified two individuals involved in the murders of Archie Harris and Betty Ramcharan and no connection to Selwyn Davis, who was previously charged,” the DA said.
“As we undergo a change in administration at the DA’s Office this week, it is my hope that these significant developments lead to continuing investigation and action so that justice can be achieved for the families of Mr. Harris and Ms. Ramcharan,” Rocah said.
The violent slayings have dogged the Westchester DA’S Office for decades.
Days, of Mount Vernon, was arrested shortly after the bodies — and Harris’ dog — were discovered on Nov. 21, 1996, all viciously beaten and stabbed to death.
Investigators set their sights on Days, whose mother, Stella Davis, the 76-year-old millionaire’s previous health care aide, had filed a sexual abuse complaint against Harris in July 1996.
The case remained cold until April 2001, when Days was indicted on murder charges based largely on an alleged confession after an intense grilling by Eastchester detectives.
But Days’ first trial ended in a hung jury in December 2003, the first of five trials.
He was convicted of second-degree murder in April 2004 and sentenced to 50 years to life in prison — only to have the conviction overturned on Dec. 31, 2009.
Days’ third trial also ended in a hung jury in March 2011, but a fourth trial led to a new conviction seven months later and another 50-years-to-life sentence.
However, that conviction was also tossed by a state appellate court, which led to a fifth trial in 2017 that led to his acquittal on all the charges in the controversial case.
Days spent 16 years behind bars before being cleared — with the case going cold again.
On Monday, prosecutors announced that there were new suspects, but provided no further details. The office did not respond to a request for comment on Monday.
Rocah did not seek re-election and incoming DA Susan Cacace is set to replace her next month.
