On Saturday, April 21, 2018, 58-year-old David R. Rush, an inmate housed at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna, died. Rush was serving a life sentence for the brutal murder of Vinson Sowards.
On October 2, 1980, Rush was at the Wall To Wall Sound Store, located at 4012 Concord Pike, in Wilmington, when he opened fire on the store’s employees, during an apparent robbery.
Rush appeared to be nearing the completion of a lengthy purchase transaction when he calmly produced a handgun and shot the manager of the store, Vinson M. Sowards, and a salesperson, Robinni C. Gorneau. Mr. Sowards subsequently died as a result of the shooting, according to court records. When a second salesperson, Anthony Viviani, was unable to open the cash register at the Rush’s demand, he too was shot.
A customer in the store, Alan S. Friedland, was then directed, at gunpoint, to help the Rush remove stereo equipment from the store and place it in his van which, was parked outside. As soon as defendant and Friedland left the store, Viviani, although wounded, managed to lock the door behind them and call the police.
When Rush heard the door close behind him, he started to return to the store, and Friedland seized this opportunity to flee to a gas station across the street. At this point, Rush drove the van to his sister’s home in New Castle County, where he had been staying. He later drove to his girl friend’s residence at a college in West Virginia.
Gorneau was taken to the hospital, where she gave the Rush’s name to the police. He had previously had shown her his business card. During the trial, she identified Rush as the person who shot her.
As a result of Gorneau’s identification and information given to the police by the Rush’s sister, he was arrested the next day in West Virginia.
Over the years Rush filed appeals, hoping that the court would reduce his sentence. He also filed at least one lawsuit against the Department of Correction citing medical issues.
Rush was serving his life sentence after being convicted of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted first-degree murder, and one count each of first-degree robbery, first-degree kidnapping, and possession of a deadly weapon during the commission of a felony.
Rush began his sentence on 10/03/1980.
Rush’s body was turned over to the State Division of Forensic Science, as is standard procedure.
Foul play is not suspected, according to the Department of corrections.