At a hearing in Washington County District Court Friday morning, 26-year-old Enrique Lucio Davila, Saint Paul, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting second-degree unintentional murder without intent and second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon in the shootout that killed 14-year-old Demaris Hobbs Ekdahl. As part of the guilty plea, Davila will receive 20 years in prison when he's sentenced on May 3.
According to the criminal complaint, Davila was part of a group that used guns when confronting Demaris, his brother Davion, and others at a graduation party on the 6100 block of Edgewood Road around 10:30 p.m. on June 5, 2021. Following the confrontation, Demaris, Davion, and their friends left the party and called their stepfather Keith Dawson. Dawson met his stepsons and their friends in Maplewood and encouraged them to return to the party with him to confront the group. Dawson drove his SUV, while the others followed closely behind in a car. When they arrived, Dawson fired several shots before driving away. The car occupied by Demaris, and others continued to follow behind as 40 gunshots were fired in their direction by Davila and his co-defendant, Xavier Hudson. One of those bullets passed through the back of the car and struck Demaris, who was later pronounced dead from blood loss due to the gunshot wound.
Dawson pled guilty to drive-by shooting in January 2023 and is currently serving a seven-year prison sentence. Hudson was found guilty of aiding and abetting second-degree murder following a nine-day jury trial last September and sentenced to 37 years in prison. Jaden Townsend pled guilty in June 2022 to aiding and abetting second-degree assault and received a three-year prison sentence.
“Forty shots rang out that night in a barrage of chaos,” said Washington County Attorney Kevin Magnuson. “This senseless act of violence took the life of an innocent child and shattered the peace of our community, leaving a trail of devastation and grief.”
In 2021, Davila was charged with felony aiding and abetting murder – 2nd degree – without intent – while committing a felony, aiding and four counts of abetting assault – 2nd degree – dangerous weapon for the drive-by shooting.
Davila remains in custody at the Washington County Jail awaiting sentencing. Assistant Washington County Attorneys Scott Haldeman and Justin Collins prosecuted this case.
