Damon Duva

Deputy Sheriff • St. Clair County Sheriff's Office
Active
Status
Compromised
Credibility

Credibility Compromised

Testified to deleting text messages; friend of arrestee (per deposition)

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Overview

Deputy with 25+ years of service and former union president. Testified under oath to being close friends with Marc King for 15-20 years and former patrol car partners with Sheriff Mat King for 20+ years. Despite these deep personal relationships, he was allowed to retrieve Marc King from jail after his arrest and administer PBT tests. He admitted under oath to deleting text messages related to the incident.

Background

Role in Key Incidents

Deputy Duva is a deputy with the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office. Deputy Duva is a close personal friend of Marc King .

November 2022 OWI Incident

Deputy Duva was involved in communications following Marc King ’s OWI arrest:

  • Had communications with other department personnel regarding the incident
  • Was a close friend of the arrested deputy
  • Involved in the informal handling of the matter

Evidence Spoliation

In sworn testimony, Deputy Duva admitted to deleting or losing text messages relevant to the incident:

  • Text messages from the period surrounding the arrest were deleted or lost
  • These communications were relevant to a foreseeable legal matter
  • No litigation hold was in place to preserve evidence

Credibility Assessment

FactorAssessment
Relationship to ArresteeClose Friend
Evidence HandlingDeleted Texts
NeutralityCompromised

The deletion of relevant communications exposes Deputy Duva and the department to:

  • Adverse inference in litigation
  • Discovery sanctions
  • Potential evidence tampering concerns
  • Public integrity investigation referral

Transcript

Deputy Duva’s testimony is available in the Duva Transcripts document.

Incident Involvement

Involved

Retrieved arrestee from jail despite close friendship

Documented Concerns

  • • Deleted text messages (admitted under oath)
  • • 15-20 year friendship with arrestee
  • • Former patrol partners with Sheriff
  • • Retrieved friend from jail and administered tests

Depositions

Duva transcripts

Credibility Assessment

Credibility Compromised

Admitted under oath to deleting text messages. Close personal friends with both the arrestee and the Sheriff for decades.

Evidence handling Deleted text messages (sworn testimony)
Neutrality Severely Compromised
Relationship to arrestee Close Friend (15-20 years)
Relationship to sheriff Former patrol partners (20+ years)

Employment

Department
St. Clair County Sheriff's Office

Connections

MK

Marc King

Close friend for 15-20 years (sworn testimony)

Social
MK

Mat King

Former patrol car partners; 20+ year relationship (sworn testimony)

Social

Also Mentioned In

Deputy Marc King OWI Arrest and Cover-Up

Incident • Involved

Deputy Duva Transcripts

Deposition • Deponent

Tags

deputy evidence-spoliation conflict-of-interest
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