SHELTON, Wash. — Two brothers were sentenced in Mason County Tuesday for killing and dismembering their cousin, 29-year-old Derrick Wily, in November 2020.
Jareau Afo, 28, allegedly choked his cousin Derrick to death and enlisted the help of his brother to dispose of the body in separate trash bags at a scrap yard near Isabella Lake in Shelton.
Jareau pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and received a 20-year sentence. His 31-year-old brother Jordan Afo pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five years for criminal assistance.
According to court documents, Jareau, Jordan and Derrick were at a gathering at their family home when the killing took place. Jordan told Shelton police that things seemed fine between his brother and his cousin. He left them alone in the house for a few minutes and when he came back, he found Derrick laying in the garage and tried to wake him up, but he did not move.
Jordan told the Shelton Police Department that Jareau and Derrick got into a fight in October and according to court documents, Jareau never let it go.
According to court documents, Jareau dismembered Derrick, then days later, Jordan took their cousin's remains to the scrap yard and buried them.
The victim was a member of a local tribe and before the sentencing, family and tribal members gathered outside the courthouse to play drums and pray.
“We have a responsibility as Indigenous people to sing our songs, to gather, and do all of those things, and he was that, He was a young warrior, and he’ll never be able to experience that or fulfill what he was here to do,” Squaxin Tribe member Jaimie Cruz said.
The victim’s foster mother read an impact statement to the court during the sentencing.
Malynn Foster has been waiting for justice for her foster son for 757 days.
“When I first wake up, I don’t remember he is dead. Then as I begin to get grounded in my first moments of consciousness, I remember he’s dead," Foster said. "They killed Derrick, they killed my baby boy. ”
Foster said the sentencing brings some level of closure, and a chance to move forward.
“I feel like the judge heard us today. I feel like the system worked today. And while I feel like the system doesn't always work, not just for our people, but people of color, but all people, today, it worked.”
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