SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio Police have arrested a man they say is responsible for shooting and killing 11-year-old Donita Phillips last summer.
D'Morea Keys, 22, was taken into custody Thursday and charged with capital murder; his bond was set at $500,000.
According to court records, officers were dispatched to the 5400 block of Walzem Road for a shooting in progress on August 15, 2020. At the scene, they found Donita Phillips, who had been riding in her family's car. Phillips, who was shot, was taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition; she later succumbed to her injuries.
Another person, who had been riding in a separate vehicle from Phillips, was also shot. The second victim was taken to a nearby hospital, also in critical condition.
During the investigation, detectives found video footage of the shooting. The vehicle in the video was a sedan with black rims/tires and dark tinted windows; the vehicle looked like a Dodge Avenger. This description matched the vehicle description given by witnesses at the scene.
After reviewing the video, investigators came to the conclusion that Phillips and the second victim were caught in the crossfire as the driver of the sedan was trying to shoot at another car.
While reviewing officer body-worn camera video from an unrelated call, it turned out that officers had contact with a similar vehicle earlier in the day that also featured the pink steering wheel cover seen in the Avenger.
After running the vehicle, officers went to the home of the vehicle owner and noticed damage on the vehicle that was consistent with damage on the vehicle of the car seen in the shooting footage.
During a search of the car, detectives found an "apparent bullet defect" to the driver's side mirror consistent with a driver firing a handgun out of the driver's side window.
Police said that upon further investigation, it was discovered that the vehicle owner lent the car to Keys the day of the shooting. Video footage obtained from a dentist's office, where the suspect pulled into after the shooting, showed a suspect matching Keys description, checking the vehicle for damage.
Near the end of August, a media advisory seeking the public's assistance in identifying the suspect was issued, and investigators received a Crime Stoppers tip providing Keys' name.
During an investigation with the passenger who was in the car with Keys the day of the shooting, the passenger admitted that he was in the car, but would not provide any information on Keys. The passenger also claimed to have no knowledge of the shooting.
On January 4, 2021, however, a detective spoke with an anonymous source who said that the Avenger was lent out to Keys on the day of the shooting.
SAPD said the case is ongoing and that they expect more charges against Keys.
Following Donita Phillips' death, family and friends gathered to raise money for the young girl's funeral. The GoFundMe reached $16,600 of its $20,000 goal.