Imprisoned South Lake Tahoe man to be arraigned on charges he killed his 3-week-old son

Murder charges have been filed against a South Lake Tahoe man, almost ten years after the death of his three-week old baby boy.

On November 14, 2008, officers from the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) arrived at a home after a call about a baby who was found unconscious. The South Lake Tahoe Fire Department arrived shortly after and transported the infant to the hospital where he was declared deceased. Both the baby's mother and father were present at the time police arrived.

Charges were not filed at the time, but the case became the subject of an El Dorado County Cold Case investigation, resulting in this week's charges against David Paul DeMartile, Sr.

DeMartile is a current inmate at a prison in Arizona. He had been arrested by SLTPD on May 15, 2017 on felony burglary charges and was subsequently given a 14-year prison term after a South Lake Tahoe jury trial. The prisoner was 45-years-old at the time of sentencing.

The recently reorganized El Dorado County Cold Case Task Force is made up of SLTPD Detective Jake Herminghaus, the El Dorado County District Attorney's Office,
the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office and the California Department of Justice.

The District Attorney’s Office will seek removal of DeMartile from the Arizona prison so he can be arraigned on the charges in El Dorado County. An arraignment date has not been set.

DeMartile isn't a stranger to local law enforcement. Besides the felony burglary charges he was also arrested on November 11, 2016 on three felony charges for spousal abuse and imprisonment and again on April 14, 2017 for violating his court order stemming from domestic violence and obstruction.

The task force is committed to bringing justice to victims, no matter how long ago the crime occurred and will continue to follow up on new leads, investigate evidence utilizing all available resources, and never forget the victims and their families regardless how long it takes. District Attorney Vern Pierson stated, "Friends and family never forget and neither should we."