WA - 3 children, ages 13, 9 and 7, among 5 killed inside Fall City home, 15 y.o. in custody - 21 October 2024

[Chimera]

The murder of the minor children especially, may endure the killer never walks free !
I hope so.
He can claim whatever ... but thankfully the surviving sibling will be able to testify to the accuracy of the excuses he may make ?

So sorry for this girl.
Imo.

 

[Chimera]

I don't mean this in any disparaging way at all but I would note that this family had a lot of changes in the last 5 years. They moved from Edmonds to Fall City in October 2019. Sarah was a nurse and renewed her license in November 2020 then let it expire in November 2021. I suspect that is around when she started being a SAHM but I don't have any specific information to support that suspicion except her giving up her nursing license. Sometimes changes can impact people in strange ways, especially adolescents.

Snipped for focus.

Yes I think it's a valid point to make that there were changes, and it's good to look at all the changes and anything else that was going on.
From the outside they looked like a stable family.
Maybe they were -- except for the murderer ?
Obviously and this is speculation only --- something went very wrong there with the killer.
Maybe stewing for months or even years ?
Wonder if there were massive red flags in the final year or months ?

My .02 is that the parents didn't believe him capable of murder.
Without knowing more-- I'm assuming they could have even sought help for him, ultimately all to no avail ?
Omo.

 

[Seattle1]

I've missed it somehow, can you share the link to the PCA?

Readers can search the govt link below on there own for the PCA. Unredacted docs can't be post/published here as it violates Court Order and State law.

The minor defendant (age 15) has NOT been charged as an adult, and the next hearing on the matter not set until June 2025.

Juvenile Offender - Active
Case number: 24-8-00878-2 SEA

Official Govt link provided for personal use:

Terms of Use | KC-Script Portal

dja-prd-ecexap1.kingcounty.gov

Victims identified in Fall City homicides

A teenage girl who survived is at the hospital.

www.kiro7.com

10/22/24

The judge also ruled the media may not release the name of the suspect.

According to the boy’s attorneys, the boy has no criminal history.

 

[Sjöberg]

Do we have any information on the escaped sisters condition? I do hope she will make a full recovery and can provide all the statements they need for justice.

As for the killer, I am wondering about the motivation for killing not just his parents but also his siblings. Was he planning on killing them all all along, or did he only shoot at the younger kids after one of them was spotted looking out of the door? I can see it being either way for now, but the sister knows the order of the events more precisely.

 

[Seattle1]

Do we have any information on the escaped sisters condition? I do hope she will make a full recovery and can provide all the statements they need for justice.

An 11-year-old girl, a daughter of the Humistons, survived and has since been released from the hospital.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

the parents had very high expectations for which I would say that just means they are good parents

Some people thrive under very high expectations, but some become anxious, depressed, angry, or face ever-worsening self-esteem, if they aren't "succeeding" enough.

I am planning on semi-homesteading in retirement which I am entering. So I get it. But for a 15 year old it could have been too much!

What part of it could have been too much?

While I understand a person of any age may feel burned-out or unable to cope with stress (speculation on my part), he could have chose many ways to express his feelings (about whatever troubled him).

IMO it comes down to whether he knew murder was the wrong way, and he clearly did, and he didn't care. That is terrifying.

 

[KonaHonu]

I know that nurses (and other healthcare professionals as well) are leaving in droves, but I do wonder if her not renewing her license was her idea.

I think it would have been her idea. The link I provided upthread shows no disciplinary records.

 

[CHEL]

Readers can search the govt link below on there own for the PCA. Unredacted docs can't be post/published here as it violates Court Order and State law.

The minor defendant (age 15) has NOT been charged as an adult, and the next hearing on the matter not set until June 2025.

Do we have to request access to the sealed documents? I am not seeing a way to view them.

 

[KonaHonu]

Do we have to request access to the sealed documents? I am not seeing a way to view them

You can't see sealed documents but most of the documents are unsealed including the probable cause affidavit. But I had to pay a few dollars to download them.

 

[Seattle1]

Do we have to request access to the sealed documents? I am not seeing a way to view them.

Records related to commission of a juvenile offense including murder are open to public inspection unless sealed by the Court. There is no reason to seal the PCA that was filed in King County Superior Court -- not Juvenile Court, where records can be restricted.

You must register to use the portal and pay any applicable fee to access view/download the unredacted court documents.

Without registering, you can still go to "Case Search" select "Juvenile Offender" and select "Document List" to see there have been 17 filings to date and the total pages of each. You can also access the "Events" tab to learn of hearing dates, "Charges" tab, etc., without registering. Again, if you want to view the docs, you must register.

Access to Court Records
I understand that the Clerk’s Office may update and correct records as the Clerk deems appropriate.
I understand that not all cases/documents are available online pursuant to Local General Rule (LGR) 31, court rules and RCW’s.
I understand there is a fee to view and access documents.
I understand that I will have to request certified copies and there is an extra fee for certified copies. Certified copies must have the Clerk’s official stamp and seal.
I understand that no refunds will be given.
I will access only those records that I am entitled to view. If I inadvertently access records that are sealed/confidential, I will not share those records with others. I recognize that a person’s identity and authority must be verified by the Clerk’s Office before getting access to sealed/confidential records and I do not have authority to share those records with others.

Case Search | KC-Script Portal

dja-prd-ecexap1.kingcounty.gov

 

[Seattle1]

I know that nurses (and other healthcare professionals as well) are leaving in droves, but I do wonder if her not renewing her license was her idea.

A wife and mother to children ages 7, 9, 11, 13, and 15, let her nursing license expire three years ago. Well, imagine that!

I believe keeping a license active also comes with additional responsibility beyond licensing fee including practice and continuing education hours, insurance, etc. I really don't understand the question whether going inactive was not her choice or idea.

 

[LadyL]

Do we have any information on the escaped sisters condition? I do hope she will make a full recovery and can provide all the statements they need for justice.

As for the killer, I am wondering about the motivation for killing not just his parents but also his siblings. Was he planning on killing them all all along, or did he only shoot at the younger kids after one of them was spotted looking out of the door? I can see it being either way for now, but the sister knows the order of the events more precisely.

I think he planned to kill all of them - he went into the room to look for the surviving sister.

 

[sunflowermomma]

IMO....lots of families underwent many changes due to covid. Many people I know used it as a time to change careers or schools for their kids.

Was the suspect a sophomore or junior? Maybe "failing tests" is a poor interpretation/reiteration of "did poorly on the ACT or SAT" or didn't meet state grade level standards for standardized testing, which is required once a year for homeschoolers in WA?

If mom tried out homeschooling during covid, then made a plan to continue with it, it makes total sense to let her license lapse....MOO

 

[KonaHonu]

IMO....lots of families underwent many changes due to covid. Many people I know used it as a time to change careers or schools for their kids.

Was the suspect a sophomore or junior? Maybe "failing tests" is a poor interpretation/reiteration of "did poorly on the ACT or SAT" or didn't meet state grade level standards for standardized testing, which is required once a year for homeschoolers in WA?

If mom tried out homeschooling during covid, then made a plan to continue with it, it makes total sense to let her license lapse....MOO

Yeah it makes perfect sense to me. Assuming the kids were in public school until spring 2020 then the 7 yo would have never attended school, the 9 yo only kindergarten, the 11 yo would have only been in first grade. , and the 13 yo only in third grade. But the 15 yo would have been in middle school. I think the social impact of covid and of homeschooling would have been different on him. Still there are reports the the kids were well socialized so I don't know.

 

[buckley23]

She described him as standing by the bed while she held her breath. Her wounds were to the neck and hand and she was in an upper bunk. Perhaps he could not easily check given her position and the blood on her neck and hand, at least not without getting bloodied himself. Perhaps he relied on breathing in her case.

 

[Gemmie]

I think he planned to kill all of them - he went into the room to look for the surviving sister.

He did plan to kill them all. IMO he went into the room to shoot her, which he did. She just pretended to be dead and held her breath is the only reason she's still alive.

Teen charged in shooting deaths of 5 family members tried to blame his brother, court documents say

The teen is accused of shooting his parents, two brothers and a sister in their home in Fall City, Washington, outside Seattle, according to court documents.

www.cbsnews.com

 

[Charlot123]

A wife and mother to children ages 7, 9, 11, 13, and 15, let her nursing license expire three years ago. Well, imagine that!

I believe keeping a license active also comes with additional responsibility beyond licensing fee including practice and continuing education hours, insurance, etc. I really don't understand the question whether going inactive was not her choice or idea.

I don't see anything unusual in her choice. "Expire" just means "inactive". It makes no sense to pay the license fee unless she plans to work enough hours. So I see absolutely nothing unusual in not paying the license fee unless one decides to go back to work full time. There is some "activation fee" too but I think if SH planned to take 3-5 years off (that would be, until the older ones would graduate and move out to college, probably), it would be reasonable to let it expire. Plus, one knows how difficult it is to drive to Everett and back. I can imagine I-90 to 405, or 520 to 405 or 522 to route 2...the last one would realistically be the longest one. If her husband was making good money, all expenses plus gas plus time might not be worthy of it.

 

[KonaHonu]

If her husband was making good money, all expenses plus gas plus time might not be worthy of it.

Just a guess but I'd guess her husband made between $150,000 a year and $250,000 a year. If I had to pick a single number I'd guess $225,000. This is based on personal knowledge of what engineers get paid. Their firm website says they do mostly government work. The government has restrictions on billing rates for engineering services.

Is that good money? That's subjective but in my opinion, in Seattle, with 5 kids and a likely big mortgage on there house I'd say they were upper middle class but not rich.

ETA: I looked on Glassdoor. They pay a senior engineer between $110,000 and $157,000. Mark was a little higher up as an associate principal engineer so I'm going to stick with my estimate or even lower it a little.

 

[YourM0m]

In regards to the "failing tests" as a homeschooler:

He very well could have been in some hybrid online type of homeschooling. This is just speculation as I have absolutely no idea if that is even an option in WA.

In our state, you can be considered a homeschool student and be 100% enrolled in online public school. Or you can do a hybrid type of schooling. My oldest takes a few online classes offered to public school students & the rest of her subjects are what you would consider "traditional" homeschooling. With these online classes, she has to take tests & quizzes just like any student attending a brick & mortar school. She also has labs & assignments to complete which are graded by a teacher.

Perhaps the shooter was in some type of online or hybrid schooling that would still be considered homeschooling. Hence the "failing tests" comment that came from the sister. Again, pure speculation as I have no idea if this is even an option in WA.

 

[Charlot123]

I think he planned to kill all of them - he went into the room to look for the surviving sister.

Now, not trying to judge anyone. Perhaps in some situations, there is no win/win scenario.

JMO - he was symbolically punishing all of his family. IMHO, it had nothing to do with the inheritance. JMO, he entered adolescence, which is the second phase of separation-individuation, and it starts typically for everyone. It's normal to question and doubt your parents, to stretch the umbilical cord to the maximum, and to rebel. Healthy resolution is always a challenge. But this is where the role of the social group one can trust is so high, and he probably didn't feel he had anyone.

His act is too extreme. It is quite possible that he could have done the same even if he attended a huge public school. Or he could have become suicidal, or self-destructive. But, the studies of the effects of loneliness and social isolation on the level of violence, aggression and disinhibition of aggressive thoughts have been on the rise Post-Covid. Here is one

Aggressive intentions after social exclusion and their association with loneliness - PMC

Both social exclusion and loneliness are aversive experiences that can lead to hostile behavioral reactions, including aggressive behavior. This study aimed to assess whether a social exclusion scenario in the subject’s imagination elicits ...

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Some factors such as narcissism or rejection sensitivity are contributors.

This is the opposite study, and maybe it is the scenario that the parents wanted to avoid.

Social Isolation, Loneliness, and Violence Exposure in Urban Adults - PMC (Urban youths who have been exposed to violence are isolating and it leads to overeating, drinking and physically damaging behaviors).

So Edmonds is more urban and Fall City has a higher index of safety. JMO: the parents probably were creating the best scenario they could think of: rural life on the lake, quiet, safe, the parents dedicate their lives to kids and protect them from unsafe situations, less Internet exposure, homemade food, what could go wrong? Maybe it is that increased loneliness in the most vulnerable one that caused the recoil?

Sad that it seemingly never occurred to the perpetrator that his younger siblings could be silently going through the same process. Nor did he leave them the chance to grow to the age when one starts questioning the parents. But either he viewed his family as a monolith, or the kids were yet at a different phase of development and identified more with the parents, or maybe this is where we enter the area of psychotic, grandiose thinking.