TYLER, TX (KLTV) -
Tyler Police are investigating the Thanksgiving night death of an East Texas man.
Around 1 a.m. Thursday, EMS was called to treat a person who was laying unresponsive in the woods near Blue Mountain Boulevard and Cumberland road in southwest Tyler.
Tyler Police say right now the details surrounding the death are sparse. In the meantime, they're conducting a full investigation as if the death were a homicide.
The Tyler Police Department received a call Friday morning at 1:18 a.m. from East Texas EMS regarding a person whom they were transporting to the ETMC emergency room.
EMS workers told the police that the individual had sustained serious injuries and that police help was needed.
"As of yet, we're not exactly sure of the circumstances or what all happened," says Tyler Police Sergeant Jerald Riggle.
Riggle says EMS transported the subject to the hospital. While officers were speaking with the witnesses, EMS contacted police to tell them that the subject had died. That man was identified as 38-year-old Chad Everett Davis of Tyler.
But, why Davis died is still unclear.
"As far as what exactly caused the death, that'll be investigated... probably an autopsy will reveal exactly how that happened," says Riggle.
"I got a phone call, and my friend Justin was hysterical saying that Chad was dead. I didn't know if it was real or not," says Daniel Laverty.
Laverty went to the woods where Justin and Chad were and found Chad lying on the ground with no pulse.
"I gave chest compressions, and called 911, and had Justin take over so I could go meet up with the ambulance and show them how to get back there," Laverty says.
Laverty is familiar with the woods where Chad was found. He says earlier that night he had been in the woods with Chad and a friend while they were drinking. Laverty says at the scene, Chad had a cut on his arm and was surrounded by beer bottles. Laverty says he doesn't believe Chad or his friend would have been violent.
"I really wasn't there and I can't speculate, but I just can't see it happening. They were really good friends and I don't see anything that could have turned and made one person want to hurt another," Laverty says.
The holiday tragedy leaves so many unanswered questions for those who knew Chad Davis.
"Chad was a really good, nice guy. I hate that this happened to him and on Thanksgiving," says Laverty.
Tyler Police say they investigate all deaths as potential homicides until they can determine what happened. An autopsy has been ordered on Chad Davis.
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