The 16-year-old Olympia boy whose disappearance launched a two-day search in south Thurston County this week has been arrested on charges of murder, burglary and unlawful possession of a firearm, according to Pierce County Corrections booking information.
Gabriel Michael Davies 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 search but released few details after Davies was reportedly 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 possesion of a firearm.
Though Davies is not named in the release, the details of the case and the jail booking 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 about 9:30 a.m. Thursday. The man had not shown up for work for four days.
“Deputies were able to gain access into the house to do a welfare check and they located the man deceased inside the home,”according to the release. “The man had a gunshot wound, but no firearm was nearby. Deputies called for detectives and forensic investigators to respond to the scene.Detectives spent Thursday and Friday processing the scene and collecting evidence. Friday night our detectives had enough evidence for probable cause to arrest two suspects in this case. Just after 8 p.m. both of our suspects, two 16-year-old males, were taken into custody.”
Both males were booked into Remann Hall Juvenile Detention Center.
This story will be updated.
Additional coverage from The News Tribune:
Olympia Teen Whose Disappearance Rallied the Region Arrested on Suspicion of Murder
Craig Sailor / The News Tribune (TNS)
The Olympia teenager who was the subject of a two-day search earlier this week when he disappeared on his way to football practice has been arrested for his suspected role in the shooting death of an Orting man.
Gabriel Michael Davies 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 with 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 typically does not name juveniles charged with crimes. In this case, the name is being published due to recent prior coverage of Davies' disappearance as well as the seriousness of the alleged offense.
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 failed to show up for work for four days.
Deputies determined he had a gunshot wound but no weapon was found. Detectives and forensic investigators processed the scene Thursday and Friday.
The victim had been dead for at least 24 hours prior to the discovery of his body on Thursday morning, said Sheriff's Department spokesperson Sgt. Darren Moss. An exact time of death will be determined after a full investigation.
The victim and Davies knew each other, Moss said.
By Friday night, detectives had collected enough evidence to arrest the two teenage suspects just after 8 p.m.
The pair were booked into Remann Hall Juvenile Detention Center on suspicion of second degree murder, burglary and firearm possession charges.
Davies became the subject of intense community and media interest after his family reported him missing Wednesday. Authorities launched a search after his vehicle was found abandoned on Tilley Road that evening.
Davies was found about 10 p.m. Thursday in the 13600 block Tilley Road Southwest, according to the Thurston County Sheriff's Office. He was located north of where deputies said they found his vehicle under "suspicious circumstances."
Detectives reportedly found items strewn about, a small amount of blood and a smashed cell phone at the scene of Davies' vehicle.
At the time of Davies' reunion with his family, The Thurston County Sheriff's Office said no other details would be forthcoming on Davies' disappearance.
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