De’Shaun Davis, 20, named as homicide victim by MCSO

MENDOCINO Co. 11/28/16 —The name of the man killed in Ukiah on Nov. 21 is De’Shaun Davis according the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office, who released his name in a press release today. Davis was allegedly murdered on Vichy Springs Road in Ukiah by Steven Ryan, of Ukiah. Ryan, 62, initially claimed that he acted in self defense — however, he is currently being held on murder charges.

Davis was initially described by the MSCO as “semi-transient” but family members have stated he has both family and roots in the area. On his Facebook page Davis stated that he was a sawyer at Mendocino and Humboldt Forestry and that he had graduated from Lower Lake High School and studied at Mendocino College. Other sources indicate he might have played for the Mendocino College football team, and his Facebook includes pictures of him practicing, and in a Mendocino football jersey.

The release states “Ryan, who had initially been one of the callers

to report the incident, claimed the shooting was in self defense. The investigation led detectives to believe the shooting may not have met the criteria of a “justified or self defense” shooting. Ryan was arrested and booked into the Mendocino County Jail on an open charge of murder.  His bail will be set at $500,000.” However, the release also lists Ryan’s current bail amount as $1,000,000, as it was raised after he was booked.

 

 

 

 

 

The full Nov. 28 release can be read below. However, it has not been independantly verified by The Mendocino Voice. For our previous coverage on this incident, see our post here.

Incident Number: 16-36179, Homicide UPDATE

Crime/Incident: 187 PC [Murder]

Location:  **ADDRESS CORRECTION**
220 Block of Vichy Springs Road, Ukiah CA

Date of Incident: 11-21-2016

Time: 11:20 AM

Victim(s): De’Shaun Davis, 20 years old, Ukiah CA

Suspect(s): Steven Ryan, 62 years of age, Ukiah CA

Written By: Lieutenant Shannon Barney

Synopsis: **UPDATE**

The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office is releasing the name of the victim in this case as the Next of Kin have been located and notified of his death.  The victim was 20 year old De’Shaun Davis, of Ukiah CA.

Suspect Steven Ryan remains in custody on a charge of homicide with his bail set at 1 million dollars.

____________________________________________________________

On 11-21-2016 around 11:20 hours the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Dispatch received several calls of “shooting in the area” and one call from a male who identified himself as Steven Ryan.  Ryan advised that he’d just shot a person near his residence in self defense.  Officers from the Ukiah Police Department and Mendocino County Sheriff’s Deputies and ambulance personnel responded to the scene, located in the 220 Block of East Perkins Street in Ukiah.  At that location a 20 year old male victim was located deceased in the driveway, from what appeared to be one or more gunshot wounds.

Steven Ryan was detained for questioning by responding Officers and the Sheriff’s Detective Unit was called to the scene.  The location is a large rural property owned by a local vineyard with numerous rental houses and apartments on the property.  During the investigation it was learned the Suspect Steven Ryan lives in one of the rental houses.  Ryan and the victim got into in a verbal argument over a possible trespass situation after the victim was seen rummaging through a waste disposal bin on the property.  Both parties may have approached each other where numerous shots were fired by Ryan with the victim being struck by one or more rounds from a large caliber handgun.

Ryan, who had initially been one of the callers to report the incident, claimed the shooting was in self defense.  The investigation led Detectives to believe the shooting may not have met the criteria of a “justified or self defense” shooting.  Ryan was arrested and booked into the Mendocino County Jail on an open charge of murder.  His bail will be set at $500,000.

An autopsy is currently being scheduled to determine the exact cause of death and or the full extent of the victim’s injuries.

Approved by: Steven Ryan, 62 years of age, Ukiah CA