Man sentenced to 20 years in fatal Woodbury graduation party shooting

The last defendant in a 2021 shooting at a Woodbury graduation party that left a 14-year-old boy dead was sentenced to prison Friday.

Enrique Davila, 26, was sentenced to 20 years, according to the Washington County Attorney’s Office. At least 946 days will be subtracted from Davila’s sentence for time spent in custody, and he could spend the last third of the sentence on supervised release. He must also pay $16,000 in restitution.

Davila pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting others during a shootout that killed 14-year-old Demaris Hobbs-Ekdahl, who had just finished his freshman year at Oakdale’s Tartan High School. According to the charges, Hobbs-Ekdahl’s stepfather shot at Davila, Xavier Hudson and Jaden Townsend on June 5, 2021, after the teens allegedly threatened Hobbs-Ekdahl’s group at gunpoint. Davila’s group gave chase and returned fire, trading dozens of bullets that punctured nearby homes and scattered party attendees.

Hobbs-Ekdahl was struck as he sat in the back seat of a car. He died of blood loss that night, shocking and saddening the community, said Washington County Attorney Kevin Magnuson in a statement.

“Today’s sentencing marks the end of a three-year process to achieve justice for Damaris,” Magnuson said. “I am grateful to the prosecution team and our law enforcement partners who worked tirelessly to hold all three codefendants accountable for their crimes. Although no amount of prison time can replace the tragic loss of life, it should be clear to all that we are fully committed to bringing criminals like Enrique Davila, Xavier Hudson and Jaden Townsend to justice.”

Hobbs-Ekdahl’s stepfather, Keith Dawson, pleaded guilty to drive-by shooting for the case and was sentenced last January to a seven-year term. Hudson was reportedly sentenced to 31 years, and Townsend pleaded guilty to a charge of aiding and abetting second-degree assault. Hudson received a three-year sentence.

Davila’s sentencing closes a case that rocked area residents. Hundreds attended a vigil for Hobbs-Ekdahl shortly after his death, remembering the Maplewood teen as a class clown who avoided trouble and loved playing football. Attendees released hundreds of blue balloons, Hobbs-Ekdahl’s favorite color, before chanting his name.