Rantz: He was deported four times. Washington State policy still let him murder a man in Pierce County

A Pierce County jury has convicted a man of murdering a local auto dealer in cold blood, ending a case that highlights once again how Washington’s refusal to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement endangers public safety. The man, Jerry España Davila, is a Mexican national.

“Jerry Espana-Davila illegally entered the country at an unknown date and time. He’s been removed FOUR times—once in 2005, twice in 2007, and once in 2010. Open border policies allowed this criminal illegal alien to repeatedly illegally enter our country and terrorize American citizens,” a spokesperson for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed to The Jason Rantz Show on Seattle Red 770 AM.

On July 30, jurors found Davila guilty of two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder (which will merge at sentencing), and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm.

Here’s what prosecutors say happened

The murder occurred on February 19, 2024, when officers discovered a white Hyundai Tucson parked near South 28th and M Street in Tacoma. Inside was 45-year-old V.S., an auto dealer, slumped in the passenger seat with two gunshot wounds to the head. Surveillance footage showed Davila stalking the victim’s car before firing the deadly shots, according to court documents.

Davila fled the scene in a minivan, but detectives tied him to the crime through a black dog seen in surveillance footage. The same dog was later picked up by animal control after being struck by a car. When Davila’s girlfriend—who had previously accused him of pointing a gun at her head—showed up at the Humane Society to retrieve the dog, detectives were waiting. They spotted Davila, confirmed his identity, and arrested him on the spot

Davila has extensive criminal history

Davila was already prohibited from owning firearms due to a prior felony conviction, according to the Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. Yet, he was still roaming the streets of Tacoma until the murder brought him back into custody.

It’s unclear when Davila came back into the country. But he has a very extensive criminal history dating back to December of 2000 that could have given law enforcement opportunities to coordinate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). But under the “Keep Washington Working” act, the state’s sanctuary policy, law enforcement would have prevented any cooperation.

Davila’s extensive criminal history stretched across Washington, Oregon, and Texas. They include Assault in the Third Degree, DUI, Driving with a Suspended/Revoked License, and Negligent Driving. Prior to the murder charges, Davila was hit with Assault in Fourth Degree in 2021 and DUI in 2020. Keep Washington Working went into effect in May 2019.

Sanctuary policies contribute to the crime crisis

The conviction raises important questions about why someone with Davila’s record—an illegal immigrant with a violent history and a no-contact order—was free to roam the area in the first place. Washington’s sanctuary-style policies, which shield illegal immigrants from ICE detainers and cooperation with federal authorities, have made the state a haven for criminals like Davila.

For the victim’s family, the guilty verdict offers some measure of justice. But for Washington residents, the case is yet another reminder that weak immigration enforcement isn’t a victimless policy—it has deadly consequences.

Sentencing for Davila is scheduled for October 3 at 1:30pm.

Listen to The Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3 p.m. – 7 p.m. on Seattle Red on 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here. Follow Jason Rantz on X, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.

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