Man Convicted of Murdering Pregnant Girlfriend In Front Of Her Children

A man has been found guilty of first-degree murder in the tragic stabbing death of his pregnant girlfriend, Amanda Davis, while her three children fought to defend her.

Michael Burciaga, 36, is scheduled to be sentenced on September 25 and could face life imprisonment for the murder of Davis, 37, and their unborn child, according to officials.

In the early hours of December 15, 2020, officers from the Pyramid Lake Police Department responded to an urgent call from Davis' 15-year-old daughter at their home.

Davis' daughter recounted that her 8-year-old brother woke her up around midnight to inform her that Burciaga had stabbed their mother. 

The Victim

They discovered Davis alive in a bedroom and hastily barricaded the door with a dresser to stop their father from entering the room, as reported by the Huffington Post, citing an affidavit. 

However, Burciaga managed to break through the top half of the door despite Davis striking his hand with a baseball bat. 

The daughter also attempted to fight him off using a lamp, according to the affidavit.

Burciaga eventually gained entry into the house and used multiple knives to carry out the brutal attack, resulting in Davis' death. 

When the police arrived, they discovered her lifeless body in the master bathroom. Burciaga was apprehended outside the residence with a cut on his hand.

The Accused

During his transportation to the hospital, Burciaga informed the authorities that the victim was pregnant with his child.

A fundraising website described Davis, a registered member of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, as a devoted mother who fiercely protected her children. 

She had been anticipating the birth of her child in February 2021. 

The website emphasized the issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) as a concern specific to native communities due to colonization and called for support for the family during this tragic time.

Authorities swiftly took action in Burciaga's case, highlighting his history of domestic violence, according to The Reno Gazette-Journal. 

Their efforts were part of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples Initiative, aimed at addressing the systemic violence faced by indigenous communities.