PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Court documents revealed a man arrested for killing his girlfriend Sunday night in Southeast Portland had escaped prison three months earlier during a sentence he was serving for child sex trafficking.
On Sunday night, police arrested Davonte Donahue after a standoff that happened when officers responded to a report of domestic violence near the corner of SE 171st Avenue and Division Street. Donahue shot at officers from the apartment but was ultimately arrested hours later.
Police found a woman dead inside the home and he was charged with murder.
According to court documents obtained by KOIN 6 News, in March 2016, a judge sentenced Donahue to nine years in prison for sex trafficking of a minor.
On Aug. 12, court documents said Donahue was caught on camera jumping over a fence, cutting off his GPS ankle monitor and escaping the area in a white sedan that was waiting for him.
Sunday night standoff in SE Portland
Officials said it started when a woman, later identified as Mariela Gonzalez-Rocha, told authorities she was being held hostage by her boyfriend in the bathroom of an apartment.
Gonzalez-Rocha called 911 around 3:30 p.m. and she was heard crying over the phone, court documents said, appearing to plead with a man, “Please, please don’t. Please [expletive] don’t.”
A man then took over the phone, told authorities his name is Jason and claimed Gonzalez-Rocha was using drugs, per court documents. Gonzalez-Rocha yelled the name “Davonte Donahue” before the call abruptly ended, according to a probable cause affidavit filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court.
Several neighbors called reporting they heard gunshots in the area before police arrived, officials said.
When police arrived, they said Donahue fired shots toward the officers through the apartment door. At least 30 rounds were fired through the windows and doors.
Donahue continued firing after a Special Emergency Response Team broke the windows and filled the apartment with an unspecified chemical agent. Officials said police did not fire back and continued to call for Donahue to surrender.
Shortly after 1 a.m., SERT entered a room Donahue had barricaded himself in and arrested him.
Police said they found a woman shot to death inside the apartment, confirmed Wednesday to be Gonzalez-Rocha.
Donahue was taken to a local hospital before he was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center. In addition to being charged with escape, Donahue is also facing charges of: Murder in the First Degree (Domestic Violence), Felon in Possession of a Firearm (Domestic Violence), five counts of Attempted Murder in the First Degree and Multnomah County Warrant.
Resources are available
While emergencies should be referred to 911, Multnomah County officials said victims of domestic violence in need of immediate crisis services can also contact the Call to Safety Hotline at 503.235.5333. A 24/7 bilingual Spanish hotline is also available. Callers can reach El Program Hispano Proyecto UNICA at 503.232.4448.
The Gateway Center for Domestic Violence can be reached at 503.988.6400.