A 39-year-old Puna man was sentenced Thursday to 20 years in prison for a fatal shooting on St. Patrick’s Day three years ago in Mountain View.
Ryan Frederick Davis pleaded guilty to manslaughter and the use of a firearm in the commission of a separate felony on May 9. He originally was charged with second-degree murder for the March 17, 2019, shooting death of 38-year-old Joshua John Santos in the driveway of a Plumeria Street home in Fern Acres subdivision.
In return for his guilty pleas, prosecutors reduced the murder charge and dropped charges of first-degree terroristic threatening and possession of unregistered firearms.
The sentence issued by Hilo Circuit Judge Henry Nakamoto includes time Davis already has served behind bars. Davis has been in custody since his arrest shortly after the shooting.
“The state hopes that (Thursday’s) sentencing affords the family and friends of Joshua Santos some closure and hopefully a little sense that justice was served … ,” county Prosecutor Kelden Waltjen said.
According to court documents filed by police, Davis’ girlfriend told police she and Davis were having a late dinner when Santos came to their home looking for his girlfriend, who is Davis’ girlfriend’s sister. The woman told police that when she informed Santos her sister wasn’t home, Santos got angry and started yelling and swearing.
The woman reportedly told police Davis went outside with a rifle, whereupon Santos accused Davis of having an affair with Santos’ girlfriend. The woman said Santos attempted to punch her, but ended up striking Davis in the face instead.
Davis then fired a shot into the air, the woman said, scaring her and causing her to run inside, according to documents. While inside, she heard two more shots and saw Santos, who was running down the driveway, collapse at the front of the property.
Davis told a police detective that after he fired the warning shot with the rifle, Santos came toward him, and Davis picked up a .22 caliber handgun and shot Santos from a distance of about five feet, documents state.
Santos then said he was sorry and turned and ran down the driveway, Davis allegedly told the detective.
Davis said he fired two more shots from the handgun, and Santos fell to the driveway as the firearm jammed.
Davis allegedly told the detective, “He attacked my wife. She’s pregnant. I had to kill him.”
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
