PIERCE COUNTY, Wash. — The Olympia teen who went missing under "suspicious circumstances" earlier this week has been arrested in a murder investigation, according to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department (PCSD).
Gabriel Davies, 16, was arrested Friday night in the investigation of second-degree murder, first-degree burglary and first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm. Another teen was also arrested and faces the same charges.
Typically, KING 5 does not name juveniles who are arrested but is confirming this connection because of recent coverage of the community search and in consideration of the gravity of the crime.
Deputies responded to the 21900 block of 190th Street E in Orting on Thursday to check on a 51-year-old man who had not shown up for work in several days, sheriff's department officials said.
"We found he had a gunshot wound but did not find a firearm, so immediately that was suspicious," said Sgt. Darren Moss.
PCSD said evidence found at the scene linked two 16-year-old males to the man's death, but did not specify what that evidence was.
"Our detectives did a lot of work finding evidence at the scene as well as talking to other people and just developing good probable cause to find a connection between the suspects and the victim and ultimately they were able to get all the evidence they needed by Friday afternoon to make these arrests," Sgt. Moss said.
Pierce County prosecutors will determine if charges will be filed. Both teens were booked into Remann Hall Juvenile Detention Center on Friday night.
Sgt. Moss said state law prohibits officers from interviewing juvenile suspects until receiving permission from an attorney, so deputies have not yet heard from the teens what their motives may be.
"Trying to figure out why these kids did this, we don't get to sit them down and talk to them," Sgt. Moss said. "The law makes it so the juveniles have to have the attorney present before we can do the interviews."
Earlier this week, Davies was the center of a search operation after his truck was found abandoned with small amounts of blood near Tenino off Tilley Road. Thurston County Sheriff's Office (TCSO) investigators also found items "strewn" about in his truck and his cell phone "shattered" nearby.
TCSO said witnesses reported seeing Davies walking alone along Tilley Road near Millersylvania State Park.
Davies was reportedly found "safe" Thursday night near Tilley Road and Maytown Road, according to TCSO.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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