Missing Olympia teen may have entered state park Wednesday, Sheriff’s Office says
A missing 16-year-old high school football player may have entered Millersylvania State Park after abandoning his vehicle further south on Tilley Road on Wednesday, investigators said.
The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office shared new details about their investigation into the sudden disappearance of Gabriel Davies during a news briefing Thursday afternoon.
Search and rescue teams spent Thursday combing the area between where his vehicle was found on Tilley Road Southwest Wednesday afternoon and the state park. They have done so with the help of multiple agencies and community tips, Sheriff John Snaza said.
“Our main goal is to bring Gabriel home to his family first and foremost,” Snaza said. “I want you to know that we’re working every angle we can to bring Gabriel home.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigations, Olympia Police Department and Washington State Parks have assisted in the search that has been ongoing since Tuesday evening, Snaza and Lt. Cameron Simper said.
“We have not received information that Gabriel is in danger,” Simper said. “But he is a 16-year-old. This behavior is not characteristic of him, so we are very concerned.”
Simper said deputies responded to a call from a local resident about a “suspicious vehicle” on private property on the 16100 block of Tilley Road just after 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.
The car had items strewn about and there was a small amount of blood inside, Simper said. Investigators do not yet know who the blood belonged to, Simper said.
Deputies also found a phone that had been shattered on the ground, Simper said. They then contacted the registered owner of the vehicle, who was one of Davies’ parents.
Davies’ family, who reside in Olympia, reportedly told law enforcement Davies had used the vehicle to drive to football practice at Olympia High School at about 4 p.m. They didn’t know he was missing until deputies had contacted them, Simper said.
“They were obviously very distraught,” Simper said. “But they are working with us cooperatively and helping us locate their son.”
Simper said the Sheriff’s Office received over half a dozen tips from people saying they had seen Davies walking north alone. A later tip indicated he had been seen entering Millersylvania State Park.
“At this point, we have not received any tips that would indicate Gabriel was in the presence of another individual, but we are still exploring every angle of this case because our ultimate goal is to bring him home to his family,” Simper said.
Davies was last seen in a pair of blue basketball shorts and a blue and white football jersey, Simper said. No tips have indicated he appeared injured or in distress, he added.
All the tips that have been received so far involved sightings between 5:30-6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Simper said.
Investigators have been canvassing the area and looking for surveillance footage, Simper said. But they had not found any video of him by Thursday afternoon.
All Sheriff’s Office detectives have been working to find Davies and bloodhound dogs have also been sent out to follow his trail, he said.
Meanwhile, Simper said investigators have been analyzing Davies’ cellphone data with help from the FBI. The last known usage of that phone occurred at 5:10 p.m.
For now, the Sheriff’s Office has asked the public to continue submitting tips but to stay away from the search area on Tilley Road.
“We are encouraged by the amount of support we’re receiving from the public,” Simper said. However, while we do have search dogs and searchers in the area, it’s important that we let them proceed through the area uninhibited.”
The Sheriff’s Office encourages anyone with immediately useful information to call dispatch at 360-704-2740. General information can be sent via email to detectives@co.thurston.wa.us.
This story was originally published September 1, 2022 at 7:56 PM.
