GUILTY WA - Sheryl Huntley, 40, shot to death, Selah, 1 July 2009

[miimaa]

Where were they driving at 3:30 am?

 

[jnTexas]

http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2009/07/08/i-82-shooting-suspect-likely-pepper-sprayed

Whoever fatally shot a Montana woman during an incident last week on Interstate 82 may have taken a face full of pepper spray, detectives say.

Sheryl Huntley's common-law husband says he discharged a canister of pepper spray at the man, who was sitting in the back seat of the couple's Dodge Neon, detectives said.

Oh the commonlaw better hope there is residue from the mace in the car!! I'm a still thinking he did it!!

 

[kline]

What nonsense.
Yakima Washington is chock freaking full of dangerous hispanic gang members.
The notion that anyone who ever lived there would stop and pick up one hitchiking at three in the morning along a deserted Montana highway is so risable that it doesnt even deserve consideration.
This guy will be arrested in short order.
I know Thompson Falls its got to be REAL interesting for him to try and live there after this.

 

[Paintr]

Oh the commonlaw better hope there is residue from the mace in the car!! I'm a still thinking he did it!!

the article says...

Harwood told detectives he may have discharged as much as the entire can of pepper spray at the man. Evidence of pepper spray was found in the car, Graham said

...


Despite the rarity of random homicides in Yakima County, detectives say they have not encountered inconsistencies in Harwood's account.

 

[STEADFAST]

If you emptied a can of pepper spray into a closed car, wouldn't you yourself end up unable to see to drive? Yet he drove off when the supposed hitchhiker jumped out.

Also, at what point during the struggle for the gun did Harwood locate and discharge a can of pepper spray?

I think he sprayed pepper spray into the back seat of the car from outside the car and waited for it to settle.

 

[bogeygal]

If you emptied a can on pepper spray into a closed car, wouldn't you yourself end up unable to see to drive? Yet he drove off when the supposed hitchhiker jumped out.

Also, at what point during the struggle for the gun did Harwood locate and discharge a can of pepper spray?

I think he sprayed pepper spray into the back seat of the car from outside the car and waited for it to settle.

Strange he took pepper spray on this late night trip. Guess he was thought he needed it for some reason...then he goes and picks up a strange hitchhiker at 3am in the morning! Very hinky!

 

[Sassygerl]

All that came to my mind was Diane Downs.

 

[bogeygal]

All that came to my mind was Diane Downs.

I forgot about Diane Downs case....she did say a hitchhiker shot and killed her children. Hmm, it was all a lie.

 

[lonetraveler]

http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2009/07/08/i-82-shooting-suspect-likely-pepper-sprayed

Whoever fatally shot a Montana woman during an incident last week on Interstate 82 may have taken a face full of pepper spray, detectives say.

Sheryl Huntley's common-law husband says he discharged a canister of pepper spray at the man, who was sitting in the back seat of the couple's Dodge Neon, detectives said.

=============
This information is just so strange to me. Why would someone who has pepper spray in the car for security reasons stop and pickup a potentially dangerous hitchhiker??? This makes no sense to me. Pepper spray canisters stored in an automobile are usually there for the purpose of protection against someone who is either in the auto or trying to get into the auto to harm someone in the auto. Why would the driver of the car (who has the forethought to have a pepper spray canister in the car for protection) stop and pick up a hitchhiker? :waitasec:

 

[lonetraveler]

If you emptied a can of pepper spray into a closed car, wouldn't you yourself end up unable to see to drive? Yet he drove off when the supposed hitchhiker jumped out.

Also, at what point during the struggle for the gun did Harwood locate and discharge a can of pepper spray?

I think he sprayed pepper spray into the back seat of the car from outside the car and waited for it to settle.

--------------
If the hitchhiker (shooter) was in the backseat and the driver turned around and sprayed pepper spray there should be a place on the back of the seat that the pepper spray did not hit. This place should be where the shooter was sitting (he blocked the spray from hitting the back of the seat). LE should have no problem investigating if there was someone in the back seat. ITA with you. How could the driver see to drive off. I accidentially fired a tear gas pistol into the house one day and everyone in the room had a problem.

 

[lonetraveler]

http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2009/07/08/i-82-shooting-suspect-likely-pepper-sprayed

Whoever fatally shot a Montana woman during an incident last week on Interstate 82 may have taken a face full of pepper spray, detectives say.

Sheryl Huntley's common-law husband says he discharged a canister of pepper spray at the man, who was sitting in the back seat of the couple's Dodge Neon, detectives said.

============
I'm a skeptical type of person so as I read the article above I immediately had a suspicion: In the article the common law husband stated that he struggled with the hitchhiker and that the hitchhiker fired four shots, one of them hitting Sheryl Huntley in the head. This is just me but "wouldn't that be a possible reason for gunshot residue to be on his hands. Like, maybe he was holding the hitchhiker's gun hand to keep him from shooting them and the gun went off a few times in the struggle? How did he manage to get the pepper spray canister out and fired off if he was struggling with the hitchhiker? Maybe he got shot as he was firing off the pepper spray? Maybe?

 

[wandering]

Where were they driving at 3:30 am?

Better yet, who the heck picks up a hitchhiker at that time of the morning?

 

[lonetraveler]

http://www.kimatv.com/news/49771237.html

The other driver offers to show Stephen the way to the ER, and dialed 9-1-1. Cops pulled both vehicles over on First Street and Walnut. An ambulance was called and they took Sheryl to Regional Hospital, just ten blocks down Walnut. Eleven hours later, Sheryl is dead. The hitchhiker is gone. And Stephen is not a suspect.

At this point, detectives have no leads on the suspect. They still have the couple's car and will continue to process it for evidence and clues

----------------
According to this article Stephen (the common law husband) is driving on the interstate when the Hitchhiker pulls a gun. Stephen, while still driving, but trying to pull the car over to the side of the road, turns around and struggles with the Hitchhiker with his right hand. Shots are fired and the hitchhiker opens the door and takes off. Ok, when did the pepper spray event happen? Did Stephen have it in his right hand when he turned around (while driving on the interstate) and sprayed the hitchhiker whiile trying to pull the car over? Isn't that kinda like bringing a knife to a gunfight? The car is probably moving pretty fast at this point in time and neither the driver, the passenger nor the hitchhiker can exit the car while it is in motion. Since this is suppose to be a robbery, why wouldn't the robber order the driver to pull over first? I understand that we have not heard about any dialogue at this point, I'm just thinking outloud right now, ok? I feel certain that the robber did not have the intent to shoot the driver while going down the interstate. If he had the gun to the woman's head, why didn't the driver pull over and not struggle with the man so that he would not shoot his wife? I'm also wondering what hand was shot, was it the one with the pepper spray canister? Still deciphering ..............

 

[lonetraveler]

Snipped from link, to emphasize time and location said 'hitchhiker' was allegedly picked up:

Huntley's common-law husband, Stephen Harwood, reported that the pair picked up a hitchhiker about 3:30 a.m. Wednesday north of Selah. The pair struggled with the man after he robbed them, he told officials. Harwood, 34, said the hitchhiker fired several shots, hitting him in the hand and Huntley in the head.

If I'm not mistaken, Selah is just northeast of Yakima.



csc68, My sincere sympathy in the loss of your friend, Sheryl.

=============
This article has a different story: that the pair (Stephen and Sheryl) struggled with the man AFTER he robbed them. So, the robbery had already taken place? I read the other statements that he had turned around and struggled with his right hand while still driving? That he pepper sprayed the man in the face? That he was shot in the hand while doing this as well? Four shots were fired, one in his hand and one into the wife's head. Was it the back of her head? If so, how was she struggling along with the driver and not have her head turned in the direction of the struggle? I don't know but I sure would like to see a sequence of events on this. :waitasec:

 

[Paintr]

I am still having a difficult time believing Stephen's story. But LE doesn't seem to be considering him an offical suspect.....yet.

 

[Paintr]

http://www.kimatv.com/news/local/50410902.html

We asked Yakima County's Chief of Detectives why this information about these new details were not released earlier. Stew Graham said they always hold back something that may help them weed out fact from fiction with tip calls. But we asked again, how was it possible for Stephen Harwood to struggle with the hitchhiker, try to grab a gun, get shot in the hand and unleash the pepper spray, all while driving on a freeway? It's just becoming hard to believe. Graham said it's not clear when the pepper spray was used.

We asked if Stephen was considered a suspect in the crime. Graham said not at this time. We asked if he is a part of the investigation. Graham said yes. Then we asked if detectives are looking into the possibility he could be involved in the crime. Graham said, "We've always looked at that possibility and continue to look at that possibility."

 

[lonetraveler]

http://www.kimatv.com/news/local/50410902.html

We asked Yakima County's Chief of Detectives why this information about these new details were not released earlier. Stew Graham said they always hold back something that may help them weed out fact from fiction with tip calls. But we asked again, how was it possible for Stephen Harwood to struggle with the hitchhiker, try to grab a gun, get shot in the hand and unleash the pepper spray, all while driving on a freeway? It's just becoming hard to believe. Graham said it's not clear when the pepper spray was used.

We asked if Stephen was considered a suspect in the crime. Graham said not at this time. We asked if he is a part of the investigation. Graham said yes. Then we asked if detectives are looking into the possibility he could be involved in the crime. Graham said, "We've always looked at that possibility and continue to look at that possibility."

===========
I'm curious to know if Stephen had pepper spray in his eyes. I can't see how he could see to drive after supposedly spraying pepper spray in the confines of a very small automobile. On one side of the highway was a body of water and the other side of the highway was steep hills, how did the robber (with pepper spray in his eyes) manage to get away?:waitasec:

 

[Fairy1]

===========
I'm curious to know if Stephen had pepper spray in his eyes. I can't see how he could see to drive after supposedly spraying pepper spray in the confines of a very small automobile. On one side of the highway was a body of water and the other side of the highway was steep hills, how did the robber (with pepper spray in his eyes) manage to get away?:waitasec:

I am confident LE is all over this. Just a matter of time. I keep hearing "tick, tock, tick, tock..." Thinking Stephen is hearing the same thing.

 

[Mendara]

hmm..

So this man's common law wife had no issues with him picking up a scary hitchhiker. Also, why would a hitchhiker attempt to rob a couple while the car is in motion? Also wouldn't a hitchhiker worry about shooting the person driving the car and the car going off the road into a ditch killing everyone? Did the hitchhiker jump from amoving vehicle or did the car stop at some point and if it did, since the hitchiker had a gun, why didn't he kill this common law husband and continue with his theft? Getting rid of a potential witness. How could this man get such a detailed look at the hitchiker from the front seat of his car while driving?

What possible reason would you have to stop your car on a lonely road at 3am to pick up a hitchhiker who looks like a gang member?

Am I spelling "hitchhiker" correctly?

 

[hoppyfrog]

Am I spelling "hitchhiker" correctly?

Yes...