On a spring night in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the life of 28-year-old Juan Luis Estela Ortiz was brought to a violent end. In the early morning hours of May 15, 2022, Ortiz was shot and killed on the Southside of the city, in the 1900 block of W. Lincoln Avenue. The attack was relentless; he was shot more than 40 times, suffering over 80 gunshot wounds while inside his vehicle.
The investigation into the brutal slaying led authorities to 26-year-old José Davila-Gali.
Prosecutors charged Davila-Gali with first-degree intentional homicide, building a case that linked him to the crime through a stolen truck and the alleged murder weapon. According to the criminal complaint, Davila-Gali had been waiting for Ortiz to leave a local bar. As Ortiz got into his vehicle, Davila-Gali allegedly emerged from some nearby bushes and opened fire with a 9mm handgun, reloading to continue shooting at the car. Investigators recovered 48 spent casings from the scene, and Ortiz's vehicle had at least 42 bullet strikes.
Surveillance video from a nearby camera captured a truck driving away from the scene, which police later determined had been reported stolen. On June 1, an officer spotted the stolen truck at a gas station. When Davila-Gali noticed the police presence, he fled, leading to a pursuit. After he was stopped and taken into custody, a 9mm handgun was found in the purse of a female passenger in the truck. Forensic ballistics testing confirmed it was the same weapon used in the murder of Estela Ortiz. Further investigation of Davila-Gali's cellphone revealed photos of him posing with the handgun and the stolen truck. While a motive for the killing was not immediately clear, José Davila-Gali was held on a $750,000 bond.
