Salem, OR – March 3, 2026 – Today, The Honorable Marion County Circuit Court Judge Sean Armstrong sentenced Atilano III Davalos III (age 40) to 110 months, or 9 years and 2 months, in the Oregon Department of Corrections after the defendant pled guilty to one count of Manslaughter in the Second Degree for recklessly causing the death of Carla Vasquez.
In the early morning hours on May 23, 2024, the defendant drove in a vehicle with Carla Vasquez as his passenger. At the time, Vasquez and the defendant were in an on-again, off-again relationship. They had gone to a bar after Vasquez finished work for the day. A video recovered from the defendant’s phone shows Vasquez, who had been drinking and was intoxicated, hanging out of the vehicle’s front passenger window while the defendant can be heard telling her to get back into the car.
At some point, the defendant turned off a busy road and into a residential area. Vehicle data showed he accelerated slightly, then abruptly and sharply braked causing Vasquez to be thrown from the vehicle and into the roadway. The vehicle’s built in dash camera shows the defendant stopping the vehicle, apparently exiting the car, and quickly returning to the car to drive away. Mr. Davalos III did not call 911, there is no evidence he attempted to aid Vasquez himself, and he made no effort to get Vasquez medical attention, including taking her to Salem Hospital which was approximately 6 minutes away from the location. Vasquez’s body was discovered in the street shortly afterward by a resident in the 1000 block of Rural Avenue Southwest in Salem.
The defendant is known to have stayed at a relative’s home for several days. Salem SWAT later arrested him after he hid in his mother’s attic for six hours, despite repeated commands from Salem Police to exit the residence.
Davalos was initially charged with Manslaughter in the First Degree, which carries a minimum sentence of 120 months in prison. The Marion County District Attorney’s Office consulted with the victim’s family before accepting a plea agreement to Manslaughter in the Second Degree. In exchange for the guilty plea, Davalos asked the court to sentence him to 91 months. However, after hearing from the State during the sentencing proceeding, the Judge imposed the State’s requested enhanced sentence of 110 months without early release nor eligibility for other programming- 10 months less than Davalos would have received under the original Manslaughter in the First Degree charge. (A guilty plea affords considerably less opportunities to challenge a conviciton in the future.)
The Marion County District Attorney’s Office extends its sincere gratitude to the Salem Police Department for its thorough investigation and to the officers and detectives whose work ensured justice in this case. This case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Katharine Semple.
About Marion County District Attorney’s Office
The District Attorney’s Office is responsible for seeking justice through promoting accountability for criminal offenders; interpreting, enforcing, and executing law; responding to the concerns of victims and the public; and working cooperatively with members of the justice system.
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