During the early hours of Monday, October 21, shots were heard in the Lake Alice neighborhood in Lake City, Washington. Neighbors quickly called 911 who then arrived and discovered a horrifying scene. Two adults - a couple - and three teenagers were dead with another teen injured. Police arrested a 15-year-old, the couple's son, who allegedly shot his parents dead alongside his siblings.
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The violent act was allegedly carried out by the 15-year-old, who remains unnamed. Allegedly took the lives of Mark and Sarah Humiston, his parents, according to King 5. Mark was an electrical engineer and Sarah appears to have been a nurse. Reportedly, at least two of the three juveniles are "school-age". The injured teen, a girl, was later transferred to Harborview Medical Center where she is now in stable condition.
News of the murders shook the community and the neighborhood to its very core. A member of Hargis Engineers, where Mark worked, issued a statement. "Mark's leadership and vision were integral within our firm, and he will be greatly missed," reads the statement. "Our thoughts are with his surviving family, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time."
Lynne Trowern, one of the Humiston family's neighbors, said that she was in total shock. "I keep bursting into tears. That is why I have to go to my daughter's house because I can't be here on my own," said Trowern. "I just keep seeing the faces of the children."
Court Appearances
Local police took the 15-year-old suspect into custody. Prosecutors asked the court to charge him with five different counts of first-degree murder and one charge of first-degree attempted murder. While originally scheduled to make a court appearance, the suspect waived his right to appear. Instead, defense attorneys Amy Park and Molly Campera appeared in representation of the 15-year-old.
Park pointed out to the court that the suspect had no prior criminal record and must be believed innocent until proven otherwise. "I would remind everyone that these are not proven facts, merely allegations, and the law presumes our client is innocent of these charges," said Park. "We want the court to know that our client is a 15-year-old boy who enjoys mountain biking and fishing and has no criminal history."
Park's statement was backed up by Casey McNerthney, a King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office spokesperson. "There is no indication that he has come to the prosecutor's office before, no previous cases, no first appearances," said McNerthney. "That's unusual to see these kinds of allegations with no previous contact with the prosecutor's office, but that is what we have here."
Another hearing is scheduled for Friday, October 25. It is unclear whether the suspect will be charged as an adult or not. Either way, the case will be referred to the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office on Thursday, October 24.
