FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Fayetteville Police Department (FPD) released new details on the suspicious death that led to the arrest of 32-year-old David Osorio.
The incident was first reported on Saturday, Sept. 30 when police responded to the 1500 block of N. Leverett Avenue where they first found the body of 49-year-old Willie McAway.
In the new release, police say a witness found McAway on the floor of his apartment. FPD says the witness called for help while others tried to perform CPR on him, unsuccessfully. When emergency crews arrived, they pronounced him dead.
Officials detail the scene saying there were "obvious injuries to the victim" and that he appeared to have been "beaten." The description says the victim's face and clothing were bloody as well as the wall near him.
An investigation began with a search of McAway's apartment where officers found a camera on the front porch that contained footage and recorded audio. The footage shows David Osorio at the victim's home multiple times on Friday, Sept. 29, a day before the killing. Officials say a woman was also seen in the footage who was identified and interviewed by police. The woman stated that around 1:30 a.m. that day, she drove Osorio to Circle K to buy "numerous beers," before returning to McAway's apartment. This trip was confirmed with Circle K's surveillance footage and the victim's security camera.
On the early morning of the homicide, the camera shows the woman "running out of the victim's front door to the north, screaming," and Osorio following her with a "large knife." Police say in the recording you can hear a car being started and "screeching away." The release states she went to a Circle K to hide and told the clerk that "he" was going to "stab her at the Sugar Tree Apartments," and that's when the clerk called 911. By then, it was 3:06 a.m. but the woman left before police arrived at Circle K. In an interview, the woman confirmed to police that Osorio was "angry at her" and waved a knife at her trying to stab her.
During the time that the woman left, the security camera recorded audio where you can hear McAway telling Osorio to "put the knife down" and minutes later yelling "Ow Ow motherf*****!" Police say after this, nothing more was recorded. During the interview, Osorio admitted to knowing about the presence of the camera and how it operated.
Police also interviewed Osorio's roommate on the day of the homicide. The roommate said Osorio had woke him up at around 4 a.m. and saw him leave with a backpack after being in his room "for some time," and then didn't see him for a few days. The release states Osorio returned home on Oct. 2 and police spoke to him as they analyzed and took photos of his shoes as part of the investigation. Shoe prints had been collected at McAway's home on the day of the homicide and compared to the ones Osorio was wearing in the footage.
On Oct. 6, Osorio said all he could remember was getting off of work on Friday, Sept. 29, and drinking heavily at McAway's apartment. That's when the woman came and made tacos and sliced some cucumbers. Osorio stated he "went on a bender" and couldn't remember the following morning. He admitted to taking two Clonazepam pills and "drinking a lot of alcohol," according to the release. Osorio told police he "vaguely remembered walking down the road later that morning." Officials say the Centerton Police Department has "a violent warning listed" on Osorio.
Police concluded that Osorio was the last person with McAway before he was "heard crying out in pain." Investigators also matched evidence left behind on a blanket at the crime scene saying it was "consistent with the suspect stepping the victim's blood then stepping on the blanket." Police determined that Osorio beat McAway and left him to die from his injuries, fled and got rid of the evidence he could.
McAway's autopsy revealed the following:
- strangulation
- fractures of the hyoid bone and thyroid cartilage
- multiple blunt force injuries to the head, torso
- lacerations
- rib fractures
According to the release, the manner of death was ruled a homicide. Osorio is being charged with first-degree murder and tampering with evidence. He is being held at the Washington County Detention Center on a 750,000 bond.
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