Missing high school footballer found safe – then arrested on suspicion of murder and burglary

Gabriel Davies set off a two-day search in and around Olympia in Washington state last week when his car was found bloodied and abandoned in his family’s driveway

Gabriel Michael Davies, who went missing for two days in Washington state (Davies family, via Thurston County Sheriff’s Office)

A high school footballer who went missing on his way to practice in Washington state has been found safe, only to be arrested for murder.

Gabriel Michael Davies,16, set off a two-day search around his home town of Olympia last Thursday when his car was discovered empty in his family’s driveway.

Sheriffs in Thurston County reportedly found the car abandoned, with blood inside and Mr Davies’ mobile phone shattered on the ground.

But after the missing teen was found on Thursday night, sheriffs in neighbouring Pierce County arrested him on suspicion of second degree murder, first degree burglary, and unlawful possession of a firearm, according to jail records seen by The Independent.

In an announcement on Saturday morning that did not name Mr Davies, but whose details matched those arrest records, the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department said it had initially sent officers to conduct a welfare check in Orting, a small town about 40 miles east of Olympia.

“Deputies were told the resident, a 51-year-old man, had not shown up for work for four days,” said the Department. When they got inside, however, they found the man dead.

“The man had a gunshot wound, but no firearm was nearby. Deputies called for detectives and forensic investigators to respond to the scene,” the Department continued.

“[On] Friday night, our detectives had enough evidence for probable cause to arrest two suspects in this case. Just after 8pm both of our suspects, two 16-year-old males, were taken into custody.”

In US law, second degree murder generally refers to the unlawful killing of another human being without premeditation, but with some kind of criminal intent such as negligence or intent to cause harm.

According to Washington newspaper The Chronicle, Pierce County sheriffs said the victim knew Mr Davies and had been dead for at least 24 hours when his body was found.

The Tacoma News Tribune reported on Saturday that the two teens had not yet been formally charged, which would most likely happen on Tuesday when courts return from holiday.