On January 1, 2024, 19-year-old Naomi Riley Davis was found fatally shot in a southeast Austin apartment, marking the city's first homicide of the year. Austin Police Department officers responded to multiple calls reporting a shooting at approximately 8:49 p.m. at the 4900 block of East Oltorf Street. Upon arrival, they discovered Davis unresponsive with a gunshot wound; she was pronounced dead at the scene.
The primary suspect, 20-year-old Martin Adolfo Rodriguez, was found at the scene with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Despite his injuries, Rodriguez resisted arrest and engaged in a physical altercation with officers before being subdued and transported to a local hospital, where he was listed in stable condition. Rodriguez, identified as Davis's on-and-off boyfriend, was subsequently charged with first-degree murder in connection with her death.
Witnesses reported that Rodriguez had been staying with Davis in the apartment for several days leading up to the incident. They described his behavior as erratic, noting his known drug abuse, and mentioned that Davis had recently expressed concerns for her safety, fearing that Rodriguez might harm her. One resident recounted seeing Rodriguez sitting on the couch with his hand concealed under a pillow shortly before the shooting. Moments later, they found Davis bleeding on the couch with Rodriguez beside her.
Rodriguez's criminal history includes multiple arrests on weapons charges. Notably, he was arrested on December 1, 2023, for unlawfully carrying a weapon as a convicted felon. He was released on a personal recognizance bond on December 15, 2023, just over two weeks before the fatal shooting of Davis.
The case has prompted scrutiny of the judicial system's decision to grant Rodriguez's release on bond despite his prior offenses. Davis's father, Scott Davis, questioned how Rodriguez was allowed to be free given his criminal background, expressing profound grief over his daughter's death and concern over the circumstances that led to the tragedy.
Rodriguez remains in custody at the Travis County Jail with a bond set at $750,000. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding Davis's death continues, with authorities urging anyone with additional information to come forward.
