St. Martinville – The St. Martinville Police Department arrested the brother of slain teen Iris Davis for not reporting a homicide, according to St. Martinville police. Davis, 16, had been reported missing on July 17 by her family after having been missing since July 13, Police Chief Ricky Martin said.
Her body was found on July 21 in a field near Maraist Street, not far from where Davis lived with her grandmother. Martin reported that the teen’s brother had discovered the body.
On July 25, police arrested Dorian Savoy, 25, the brother who reported finding the body, and were executing search warrants as a result of the investigation.
Police were working with the St. Martin Parish Coroner’s Office to determine the cause of death and an autopsy was being performed, Martin said.
According to state law, it is a crime for anyone to know about the commission of a homicide, rape or sexual abuse of a child and not report or disclose the information to law enforcement, unless there is a privilege of confidentiality as outlined by the law. Those convicted of the crime can be fined up to $500 and face up to one year in jail.
Mayor Jason Willis posted a letter to the family of the teen on Facebook, that the city would do everything in its power “to bring justice for Iris. But this goes beyond the Police Department, the Sheriff’s Office, or any other agency helping in this investigation. This is on us — as a community. We owe it to her, to her family, and to every child in our city.”
Willis said that anyone knowing anything about the case, no matter how small, should say something about it.
“Staying silent makes you just as guilty as the person or people responsible,” Willis said in the letter.
Family, friends and neighbors of the missing teen gathered for a candlelight vigil on Friday in honor of Davis.
