The 16-year-old Olympia boy whose disappearance sparked a two-day manhunt in southern Thurston County this week has been arrested on charges of murder, burglary and unlawful possession of a weapon, according to Pierce County Corrections booking information.
Gabriel Michael Davis was reportedly located by investigators late Thursday after his vehicle was previously discovered unoccupied on Tilley Road near Millersylvania State Park.
The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office led the investigation but released few details after Davis was returned to his family.
He was booked into the Remann Hall Juvenile Detention Center Friday night.
The Pierce County Sheriff’s Department announced in a news release Saturday morning that two 16-year-old males were taken into custody for burglary, second-degree murder and unlawful possession of a firearm.
Although Davies is not named in the release, details of the case and jail records align.
According to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department, deputies responded to a welfare check on a 51-year-old man in the 21900 block of 190th Street East in Orting at approximately 9:30 a.m. Thursday. The man had not shown up for work for four days.
“Deputies were able to enter the home to conduct a welfare check and located the deceased inside the home,” according to the release. “The man had a gunshot wound, but there was no firearm nearby. Deputies called detectives and medical examiners to respond to the scene. Detectives spent Thursday and Friday processing the scene and gathering evidence. As of Friday night our detectives had enough probable cause to arrest two suspects in this case. Shortly after 20.00 both our suspects, two 16-year-old males, were taken into custody.”
Both men were booked into the Remann Hall Juvenile Detention Center.
This story will be updated.
Additional coverage from The News Tribune:
Olympia teenager whose disappearance sparked a rally in the area arrested on suspicion of murder
Craig Sailor / The News Tribune (TNS)
The Olympia teenager who was the subject of a two-day manhunt earlier this week when he disappeared en route to soccer practice has been arrested for his suspected role in the shooting death of an Orting man.
Gabriel Michael Davis and another 16-year-old were taken into custody Friday night by Pierce County Sheriff’s detectives.
The 51-year-old victim was found dead of a gunshot wound in his Orting home Thursday morning by Pierce County Sheriff’s deputies, according to a statement from the department.
The News Tribune does not typically name juveniles accused of crimes. In this case, the name is being published due to the recent previous coverage of Davies’ disappearance as well as the seriousness of the alleged offence.
The Sheriff’s Department said deputies were checking on the victim at his residence in the 21900 block of 190th Street East in Orting because he didn’t show up for work in four days.
Deputies found he had a gunshot wound, but no gun was found. Detectives and medical examiners processed the scene Thursday and Friday.
The victim had been dead for at least 24 hours before his body was discovered Thursday morning, said Sheriff’s Department spokesman Sgt. Darren Moss. The exact time of death will be determined after a full investigation.
The victim and Davis knew each other, Moss said.
By Friday night, detectives had gathered enough evidence to arrest the two teenage suspects shortly after 8 p.m.
The pair were booked into the Remann Hall Juvenile Detention Center on suspicion of second-degree murder, burglary and possession of firearms.
Davis became the subject of intense community and media interest after his family reported him missing on Wednesday. Authorities launched an investigation after his vehicle was found abandoned on Tilley Road that evening.
Davis was found about 10 p.m. Thursday in the 13600 block of Tilley Road Southwest, according to the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office. He was north of where deputies said they found his vehicle under “suspicious conditions.”
Detectives reportedly found items strewn about, a small amount of blood and a broken cell phone at the scene of Davis’ vehicle.
At the time Davis was reunited with his family, the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office said no further details about Davis’ disappearance would be released.
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