More information comes up as charging documents become public about the alleged quintuple murder of a Washington family by a 15-year-old. The surviving member of the family, an 11-year-old girl, told police that his 15-year-old brother allegedly checked the pulse of his parents and siblings after shooting them dead.
Videos by Wide Open Country
The alleged murder took place inside the family's $2 million home on October 21 in Fall City, Washington. The suspect allegedly shot dead his parents, Sarah, 42, and Mark, 43, and three of his siblings: Benjamin, 13, Joshua, 9, and Katheryn, 7. He had also shot his 11-year-old sister in the neck and hand. She then pretended to be dead by holding her breath and closing her eyes.
According to charging documents obtained by the New York Post, the suspect then approached the bodies of three members of his family and touched their necks or chests to "see if they were alive." The 11-year-old, who woke up to the sound of shots before at around 5 a.m., had seen the bodies of father Mark and brother Benjamin in the hallway. She then watched Kathryn get shot dead as she walked out of the room they shared.
Surviving A Family Shooting
After being shot and pretending to be dead, she escaped through a fire window in her bedroom. She ran to her neighbor's house, asking for help. The neighbor then called 911 while the 11-year-old girl was rushed to Harborview Medical Center. She was able to identify his 15-year-old brother as the one behind the shooting.
At the time, the suspect had called 911 to report the murder. He stated that Benjamin had shot his whole family before turning the gun on himself. He proceeded to stage the murder scene to support his claims, even putting the gun in his brother's hand. However, her 11-year-old sister's testimony was enough for police to take the 15-year-old into custody. He is being held at the Clark Child and Family Justice Center.
Prosecutors then charged the 15-year-old with five counts of first-degree murder and one charge of first-degree attempted murder. Additionally, the court placed a "no-contact" order between the suspect and his 11-year-old sister. She is now in the custody of her grandmother. The teenage suspect did not enter a plea deal on Friday. The defense waits for the judge's ruling to see if their client will be tried as an adult.
