Virgil Ray Stebbins, a 64-year-old White/Caucasian male from Auburn, Washington, was tragically killed on February 19, 2024, in Tacoma, Washington. A respected business owner and a cherished figure in the local dirt track racing community, his death was the result of multiple gunshot wounds to the head. The incident, which took place near the 1100 block of Center Street, was officially ruled a homicide by the Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office.
Stebbins was also a musician, known for playing guitar and singing in his band, 0'Dark:30. His sudden death left his daughter, Tabitha, as the sole surviving member of their immediate family, her mother having passed away from cancer and her sister in a car accident years prior.
In the early morning hours of that fateful day, Stebbins had contacted 911 to report a suspicious man on his car lot, A to B Auto Inc. He informed the dispatcher that the man, who was accompanied by a dog, had asked him for a ride, which he declined. As the operator was informing Stebbins that police were en route, the line was filled with the sound of groaning. Surveillance footage from the area captured a man, later identified as Jerry Espana Davila, approaching Stebbins' vehicle. Davila was seen pacing around the car before the dog with him flinched, a moment investigators believe coincided with the gunshots. Following the shooting, Davila drove away in Stebbins' Hyundai, which was later found in Central Tacoma with Stebbins' body inside.
The investigation moved swiftly, leading to the arrest of 39-year-old Jerry Espana Davila just three days later, on February 22, 2024. A crucial piece of evidence that led to his capture was the black lab he had with him at the scene of the crime. The dog was later hit by a car and taken to the local Humane Society. When Davila and his ex-girlfriend went to retrieve the dog, police were waiting and arrested him. Although a motive for the senseless act of violence was never clearly established, prosecutors moved forward with the case against him.
Jerry Espana Davila was subsequently charged with and convicted of two counts of second-degree murder and second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm. In October 2025, the 41-year-old was sentenced to nearly 33 years in prison for the murder of Virgil Ray Stebbins. At the sentencing, Stebbins' daughter, Tabitha Gaulin, delivered a powerful victim-impact statement, describing her father as a kind and caring man and the devastating impact his loss has had on her life. Despite the conviction and sentencing, the reason behind the tragic and sudden end to Virgil Ray Stebbins' life remains a painful and unanswered question for his loved ones.
