Man pleads guilty to raping housekeeper in Norfolk city center hotel

NORFOLK — A man pleaded guilty this week to raping a housekeeper at knifepoint at a downtown Norfolk hotel.

Donte Jamal Davis, 30, of Virginia Beach, pleaded guilty to a single count of rape for the May 2023 assault on the sixth floor of the Norfolk Waterside Marriott on Main Street. In exchange for Davis’ plea, the judge and prosecutors agreed to cap his potential sentence at no more than 31 years in prison. Sentencing was scheduled for August 2.

According to a statement from the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office, the woman was cleaning a hotel room with the door ajar when Davis entered, threatened her with a knife and raped her.

A supervisor who came to check on the woman’s work heard her cry for help and entered, according to the release. Davis pushed past the supervisor, ran out of the room and threatened to kill the supervisor when she chased him.

Photos from the hotel security footage were quickly distributed to Norfolk police and local security agencies, the release said. Later that day, an off-duty officer saw Davis board a light rail train.

Investigators obtained security footage from the train and a search warrant for Davis’ home. There they found personal effects matching items the suspect had been seen with at the hotel and on the train. DNA testing of some of the recovered items confirmed that he was the perpetrator of the crime, according to the release.

Jane Harper, [email protected]