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Wounded Army veteran’s Purple Heart found, truck returned

Stolen truck found after San Antonio police received tip from community

San Antonio – A wounded warrior and his wife are ecstatic after learning San Antonio police found their 2019 F-150 truck and the sentimental items in it, like his Purple Heart and battlefield American flag.

The theft happened Friday after Asia Davis, wife of Army Veteran Ryan Davis, was packing the pickup up to move into their new home at Fort Sam Houston while Ryan recovers from his IED accident that happened in Afghanistan in August.

Asia Davis said she got the call from the Sergeant assigned to the case Sunday afternoon.

“It was 4:07 p.m. when I got the call that they found the truck and were going to sit on it to see if the person who stole it would return to the truck,” Davis said. “After that, they called back and said that I could come to look inside to see if the Purple Heart and flag were in there because I did not care about the truck at all.”

She said once she got to the location which was an Academy on the South Side, she noticed things that were packed in the back of the truck, were thrown in the bed of the truck.

“I could tell things were taken out of it, but I just wanted the important stuff,” Davis said. “I went in the back and opened the boxes and I saw the coin bag where all the coins were and where I put the Purple Heart. It was there and then I opened another box which was ripped to shreds and found the flag.”

Asia Davis after searching her found truck and finding the Purple Heart and flag inside (ksat)

Davis said she was beyond happy and didn’t care that 50% of the other items packed in the truck had been stolen.

“My jewelry, toys, housing stuff, clothes, and shoes were all stolen,” Davis said. “The prosthetics and wheelchair parts were also left behind. The truck was in one piece outside of the keyhole being damaged from where they popped the door open with a screwdriver.”

She said police told her they got a tip from someone that a person would drop the pickup off on the South Side for another person to pick it up and take it to a chop shop in Mexico.

She said she is thankful that the community helped stop the theft before their important items were long gone.

“I mean I was so excited and then they were all like no don’t start crying! To the people who have shared. To the people who have reached out to me and Ryan,” Davis said. “We just appreciate you guys so very much, we love you all and the good Lord was watching over the stuff that was in there. Ryan is a miracle, and this is essentially a miracle. The Good Lord was out there.”


About the Authors
Japhanie Gray headshot

Japhanie Gray is an anchor on Good Morning San Antonio and Good Morning San Antonio at 9 a.m. The award-winning journalist rejoined KSAT in August 2024 after previously working as a reporter on KSAT's Nightbeat from 2018 to 2021. She also highlights extraordinary stories in her series, What's Up South Texas.

Joe Arredondo headshot

Joe Arredondo is a photojournalist at KSAT 12.

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