Here's everything we know about King Jay Davila's death, arrests of his family members

Christopher Davila's mother Beatrice Sampayo, cousin Angie Torres charged

SAN ANTONIO – A nearly weeklong search for 8-month-old King Jay Davila has led to multiple arrests and the discovery of a body believed to be that of the child in an open field. Here's the very latest on the case.

FATHER ADMITS TO CHILD'S DEATH, BODY FOUND IN BACKPACK: 

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San Antonio police announced Friday morning they located the body of a baby believed to be Davila's after his father, Christopher Davila, took investigators to an open field near his neighborhood.

According to an affidavit, Christopher Davila took investigators to the dead end of Castle Lance on the Northeast Side to show investigators where he buried his son. 

Investigators dug up a black backpack containing what appeared to be a baby's body wrapped in a blanket, according to an arrest affidavit.

The location is less than a mile from Davila's last known address in the 5800 block of Castle Brook Drive. 

CHRISTOPHER DAVILA'S STORY:

Davila told detectives that he was home with King Jay and the child was on the bed in a car seat, but not strapped in, according to the affidavit.

Davila said he sat on the bed and the car seat fell, causing King Jay to land face-first on the floor. The child may have also hit his head on a dresser, the affidavit said.

A large bump began to form over the baby's eye and Davila told police he was afraid to call 911.

He said when he checked on King Jay a few hours later, the baby was dead, according to the affidavit.

Instead of calling authorities or medical personnel, Davila concocted a plan to cover up the child's death and stage a fake kidnapping last Friday night.

Courtesy: Bexar County Jail

Davila has been charged with injury to a child causing serious bodily injury - omission, tampering with evidence, felony possession of a firearm and possession with the intent to deliver a controlled substance.

San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said Friday the result was not what they hoped for when the baby disappeared, but this was now considered a death investigation and was far from finished.

McManus said multiple agencies have assisted with the investigation, including the FBI.

SAPD Press Conference on King Jay Davila

**LIVE** BREAKING NEWS** SAPD Chief William McManus to give an update on the case of baby King Jay Davila after investigators were led to the baby's buried body. LATEST: http://bit.ly/2RLrz2Y

Posted by KSAT 12 & KSAT.com on Friday, January 11, 2019

POLICE BELIEVED KIDNAPPING WAS STAGED TO COVER UP "FOUL PLAY" FROM EARLY STAGES:  

Police immediately had suspicions about Christopher Davila's story after they received the report that King Jay was kidnapped.

After days of questioning the family and claiming they were not being cooperative with the investigation, McManus revealed Monday King Jay's so-called kidnapping was staged to cover up "foul-play," as police had initially suspected.

Davila initially told investigators the baby and his vehicle were taken by someone after he left his car unlocked and running at a gas station in the 300 block of Enrique M. Barrera Parkway. 

McManus said Angie Torres, Davila's cousin, was the person seen in surveillance video and photos taking the vehicle.

Torres had been dropped off a block from a gas station and drove away in Davila's car, making it appear as if the vehicle had been stolen with King Jay inside.

The car was found abandoned near Rodriguez Park without the keys or King Jay's car seat.

McManus said King Jay was never in the car at the time of the fake abduction and car theft, and that it was only made to look as if the baby was in the vehicle.

MORE ARRESTS, WITNESS ACCOUNTS OF DEATH: 

Police interviewed multiple witnesses during the investigation and began to gain traction on the case throughout the week.

A witness told police he overheard Christopher Davila telling his mother and King Jay's paternal grandmother, 65-year-old Beatrice Sampayo, about his son falling and being injured.

The witness told police he later saw Davila and Sampayo in the driveway "visibly upset and crying," and hugging each other.

Another witness, who was staying at Davila's house, told police he heard King Jay crying on Jan. 3 and then saw Davila carrying his son in his car seat the next day, according to the affidavit.

On Friday, Davila drove to the Friend's Food Mart, where the staged kidnapping occurred.

At the store, McManus said Davila left his car running and the driver's side door unlocked while he went inside. It was during that time that Torres got into the car and drove away.

Courtesy: Bexar County Jail

(Beatrice Sampayo left; Angie Torres right)

Police identified Torres as the woman in the surveillance footage and she was later arrested for an unrelated charge. Davila's story began to unravel more for investigators.

Torres told police she went to Sampayo's home the night of the staged kidnapping and Sampayo told her that Davila had "severely injured" King Jay, according to the affidavit.

After the staged kidnapping, Torres said she was picked up by Sampayo at Rodriguez Park and disposed of the car seat, as Davila had instructed her to do.

An SAPD detective said surveillance footage confirms Torres' statement, which shows Sampayo and Torres arriving at a donation collection shed in the 700 block of South Acme Street.

A minute later, the video shows Sampayo and Torres returning to the donation shed and picking up the car seat, the affidavit said.

An SAPD officer later found King Jay's car seat three blocks away from the donation shed near the intersection of Guthrie and Southwest 41st streets.

Sampayo and Torres were arrested and face a charge of tampering with evidence, which is a third-degree felony. 

FAMILY CRIMINAL HISTORY:

Bexar County court records show Davila had racked up six drug charges between 2008 and 2009, and was charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle and aggravated robbery in 2009.

Between 2008 to the present, Davila has amassed a gallery of 10 mug shots that can be seen below:

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Torres appears to have a sparse criminal history, with five charges dating back to 1991.

According to online records, she was charged with shoplifting, resisting arrest and burglary in 1992.

She was charged with possession of a controlled substance in 2000 and is now facing charges in King Jay's death.


About the Authors:

RJ Marquez is the traffic anchor/reporter for KSAT’s Good Morning San Antonio. He also fills in as a news anchor and has covered stories from breaking news and Fiesta to Spurs championships and high school sports. RJ started at KSAT in 2010. He is proud to serve our viewers and be a part of the culture and community that makes San Antonio great.