By JOSEPH FITZGERALD

WOONSOCKET —- A family member of slain city girl Savannah Smith says she is relieved child killer Joshua Davis has admitted his guilt in Savannah's murder, and that the family will not have to go through the emotional rigor of a murder trial.

Just the same, for Savannah’s family, the case is far from over.
A day after Davis pleaded guilty Thursday in Providence County Superior Court to kidnapping, raping and strangling the 8-year-old Globe Park Elementary School student in May 2006, family members were still saying very little about the case pending Davis' sentencing in two months.
"We're not done with this yet and we've been told not to talk about it," Savannah's aunt, Jo-Ann L'Esperance, said Friday. "There's still the sentencing and it's not that we don't want to talk about it, but we'd rather reserve our comments until after the sentencing.
“Obviously we are happy with the guilty plea and that our family does not have to relive this at a trial. But we need some time to swallow everything that has happened."
Savannah's father, David Smith, who left the courtroom Thursday in tears, also declined comment on Davis' guilty plea, saying he would speak publicly after the sentencing. "I can't really say anything now, but maybe in a few weeks," Smith said following the proceedings.
Davis, 22, formerly of 564 Coe St., Apt. 2, pleaded guilty under oath to all three charges against him, including kidnapping a minor, first-degree child molestation and first-degree murder. He pleaded out just days before he was scheduled to go on trial next week.
A sentencing hearing with Judge Gilbert V. Indeglia is slated for June 5. Davis faces three consecutive life sentences and prosecutors will seek the maximum sentence for each charge.
On May 8, 2006, Savannah Smith was taken from her Globe Park neighborhood in Woonsocket by Davis, who was 20 at the time and lived across the street from the Smith family. Police later found the body of the missing girl in woods near an industrial area in Cranston and charged Davis, the boyfriend of Savannah's babysitter, with murder. The killer has been held without bail at the ACI since his arrest.
Davis' attorney, public defender John Hardiman, told Judge Indeglia Thursday that Davis had agreed to plead guilty to the charges to spare the family the pain of sitting through a trial.
Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch, in a statement issued Thursday, said the state will seek the maximum sentence allowable under Rhode Island law. The charge of first degree murder carries a maximum sentence of life without parole; the kidnapping and molestation charges each carry a maximum sentence of life in prison.
In the meantime, L'Esperance is organzine the Second Annual Savannah Halley Smith  Fundraiser, to be held Saturday, May 10, at the Savannah Smith Memorial Playground at Globe Park. The fundraiser is intended to help pay for child ID kits for local children.
Thousands of people from the city and beyond attended the event last year at the playground, which was built and dedicated by the city on the first anniversary of Savannah's death. A total of $1,016 was raised at the inaugural event, but more is needed.
The digital camera, laptop computer with a fingerprint scanner, child ID software and inkjet printer cost approximately $3,600. The purchase will enable police to go into city schools and ID thousands of children.
Organizers are in need of large capacity grills, food and beverage donations, mass amounts of ice and volunteer cooks, as well as other services and materials. Any individual or business who wishes to volunteer or donate products or services can contact L'Esperance at (401) 597-0980 or (401) 744-5435 or by e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .