April 18, 2008, 11:13PM
Arrest made in death of mother
Search is on for a second man in apparent carjacking

By JENNIFER LEAHY
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle

Authorities say slaying suspect Timoteo
Rios, 24, an illegal immigrant from Mexico,
may be heading for the border.
Harris County Sheriff's Office


Kennedy Escoto, 17, the driver
of the getaway car. Wears mask
because he has TB.


By the time their paths crossed with Tina Davila's, deputies said the two men had gotten away with a few carjackings and even stolen some beer from a store.

In earlier attacks, the Harris County Sheriff's Office said their victims readily gave up their cars. Such was the case on Tuesday at an East Harris County convenience store on Market where they took a woman's car at knifepoint.

On Wednesday, a second carjacking went off without a hitch as well when authorities said the men stole a gold-colored Ford Taurus from a woman and then pilfered some beer from a Channelview-area convenience store.

But their encounter later that day with Davila was different, authorities said. The 39-year-old mother of five refused to give up the keys to her SUV because her 4-month-old daughter was inside.

Davila's refusal ultimately cost her her life as one of the alleged carjackers repeatedly stabbed the woman in front of a Cricket store at 5619 Uvalde on Wednesday.

Surveillance video has led to the capture of one of two men authorities said participated in the brazenly violent attack. Another man remains at large, and authorities believe that he may be headed across the Mexican border.

Deputies identified Kennedy Escoto, 17, as the driver of the getaway car. He has been charged with aggravated robbery.

Meanwhile, deputies are still searching for the suspect they say stabbed Davila to death in front of the Cricket store.

Timoteo Rios, 23, is an illegal immigrant from Michoacan, Mexico, said Lt. John Denholm, a Sheriff's Office spokesman.

"We're just hoping to get him before he crosses the border," said Denholm, adding that the vehicle has not been recovered.

Once arrested, Denholm said Rios will likely face "murder if not capital murder charges" in Davila's slaying.

Escoto may also be charged with murder, under Texas' "law of parties," which makes a getaway driver "just as guilty" as the murderer, Denholm said.

Surveillance video from the cellphone store shows a man in the stolen Taurus pulling up beside Davila almost immediately after she parked her white Chrysler Aspen outside the shopping center around 6 p.m. Wednesday.

Investigators believe the fatal carjacking was probably a spur-of-the-moment crime.

"The driver (Escoto) said they saw her get out of the car with money, and they weren't after her keys," Denholm said.

The video shows the man lunging for her car keys, then moving back toward the Ford sedan, with Davila following after him.

"She was yelling, 'My baby. My baby.' That's why she wouldn't give up the car," said Denholm in an interview earlier this week.

Authorities said the men were identified by someone who saw the video and contacted authorities.

While the video was hard for the public to watch, Denholm said authorities had no choice.

Rios frequented an address on Club Creek on the southwest side of Houston, sheriff's investigators said.

Escoto was taken into custody early Friday morning at the same complex on unrelated traffic charges.

"He's been cooperative," Denholm said.

Escoto, wearing a face mask due to a tuberculosis infection, was led from sheriff's offices, ducking from reporters who asked about Rios' whereabouts and why Davila was killed.

His only response was a one-finger gesture.

Escoto was arrested in September for trespassing and served 75 days in jail.

Rios was charged with possession of marijuana in May 2007 and served 10 days in jail. In June 2007 he was charged with criminal mischief and failure to identify himself to a police officer and served 30 days in jail.

Rios may still be driving the gold Ford Taurus with Texas plates P42 CYY and a broken left-side mirror held on by duct tape, they said.

Authorities ask anyone with information on Rios or the Taurus to call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.

jennifer.leahy@chron.com

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5713748.html

Click on the link below to get raw video of the security camera that caught the brutal stabbing of Ms. Davila
http://www.khou.com/topstories/stories/ ... 143fa.html