In a quiet residence a few miles east of Ottumwa, Iowa, the life of 24-year-old Hugo Hernandez, a Hispanic male, was brought to a sudden and violent end on Sunday, March 13, 2016. What began as a gathering among acquaintances would tragically escalate, leaving one man dead and another facing a lifetime of consequences.
Hernandez, who had recently relocated to Ottumwa from the Storm Lake area, had been spending time with his roommate, 23-year-old Erik Guadalupe Davila.
The two were at the home of friends, Terry Baker and Kinda Short. The atmosphere was initially relaxed, with the group talking and consuming methamphetamine and marijuana into the early morning hours. At some point, the gathering moved to the basement of the residence.
As the morning wore on, a dark turn of events unfolded. While Baker and Short were occupied with other tasks, Davila rose from his chair, picked up a handgun belonging to Hernandez, and walked over to where his roommate was seated. From approximately a foot away, Davila fired a single shot, striking Hernandez in the head and killing him. The sound of the gunshot shattered the quiet of the morning, drawing the attention of Baker and Short.
In the immediate aftermath, Davila reportedly expressed an intention to clean up the scene and dispose of the body, even asking for a tarp. However, a hysterical Short fled the residence and went to her brother's house. Law enforcement was alerted, and when Wapello County Sheriff's deputies arrived, they discovered Hernandez's body. Davila was taken into custody at the scene, initially for possession of a controlled substance and a firearm.
Just two days after the shooting, on Tuesday, March 15, 2016, Erik Guadalupe Davila was charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of Hugo Hernandez. In a letter he wrote to authorities following his arrest, Davila attempted to explain his actions, citing various "issues" he had with Hernandez, including that his roommate was behind on rent. During later court proceedings, Davila would claim that he had simply "snapped."
Ultimately, a jury found Davila guilty of the lesser charge of second-degree murder. He was subsequently sentenced to a term of incarceration not to exceed fifty years. An appeal of his conviction was later denied, solidifying the legal conclusion to a tragic story that began in the quiet basement of an Iowa home.
