KCK police find car wanted in dragging death of Frankie D, now seek persons of interest

Police found the car they were looking for in the investigation of the death of Frank Davila. Now they’re looking for the “persons of interest” who were inside it Wednesday morning.

The white Infiniti was seen near the 700 block of Pacific Avenue about 10 a.m., where Davila — an 86-year-old man known as the longtime owner of Frankie D’s bar and grill — was killed when he tried to prevent the theft of his truck.

Davila had left his truck on the curb with the engine running when he dropped off his sister after they’d gone out for breakfast. Someone apparently tried to drive off with the truck and Davila, while trying to stop the thief, was dragged in the street and suffered fatal injuries.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call the TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477).

Davila was known as Frankie D, the name of the bar and grill he had owned on Kansas Avenue for more than 40 years, according to his son, Frankie Davila.

“He fought back,” Davila said Wednesday of his father. “He went out in a blaze of glory.”

The elder Davila grew up just around the corner from where he was killed. He served in the U.S. Army for four years in the 1950s.

His son said he was committed to the community and went out of his way to spend his money with local businesses.

He owned the bar and grill while also working for 46 years for the Santa Fe Railroad.

He was active and about a decade ago was featured in a newspaper article with a picture of him on his Harley-Davidson motorcycle.

“He lived a great life,” his son said. “He lived life to the fullest.”

Davila was also friends with many Kansas City, Kan., police officers, and his son said Wednesday that he was confident his father’s killers would be brought to justice.

“They messed with the wrong guy,” he said.

This story was originally published November 30, 2017 at 10:09 AM with the headline "KCK police find car wanted in dragging death of Frankie D, now seek persons of interest."