A California woman serving life in prison

A California woman serving life in prison for a series of brutal attacks is drawing renewed attention — not for her crimes, but for her role as an advocate for fellow inmates. Many observers say the contrast is striking. Dana Sue Gray, now 67, has spent nearly three decades behind bars after admitting to violent assaults committed in the mid-1990s. In a 2024 interview with The Independent, Gray said she now speaks up for incarcerated women, arguing that many are conditioned to remain silent and compliant.

Her advocacy, however, comes long after a crime spree that horrified Southern California investigators. On February 16, 1994, 86-year-old Norma Davis was found stabbed and strangled in her Canyon Lake home. Detective Joseph Greco described the scene as “overkill,” noting a small sneaker print that suggested the attacker may have been a woman. Twelve days later, another Canyon Lake resident, 66-year-old June Roberts, was beaten and strangled with a phone cord.