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TCSO investigating homicide at home near Yelm

One man was arrested for second-degree murder and booked into Thurston County Jail.

THURSTON COUNTY, Wash. — A man was arrested in connection to a suspicious death at a home near Yelm on Sunday.

Around 8 a.m., a Thurston County deputy was sent to a home near Lake Lawrence after dispatch received a "suspicious circumstance call." It was later learned the call came from the suspect. 

KING 5 is not naming the suspect because he has not been charged.

The suspect reported that someone had tried to steal his wallet and rifle, according to a statement of probable cause. The suspect said the person was still at the home and he did not know who it was - though he said he was helping him after his vehicle broke down. 

The suspect also said the unknown person was pushing him earlier. The suspect said he believed his keys and wallet were in the unknown person's vehicle.

The suspect said the unknown person was inside the house in the kitchen and that he was in the living room with the rifle.

When the deputy arrived, the suspect exited the home. He was bleeding slightly from the bridge of his nose. 

The deputy asked the suspect if someone was still in the house and he said yes, motioning inside. The deputy saw a man laying on his back in the kitchen. The man "appeared to be gravely injured or even deceased," according to the statement of probable cause.

When deputies swept the house, they round either a pellet or .22 rifle with a broken stock. Inside the kitchen, it appeared there was a fight. 

The suspect continued to say there was a third person involved, but nobody else was located.

At one point, the suspect made an unprompted statement "to the effect of 'I don't know what he gave me, but I woke up and he was stealing my wallet.'" He also said the two fought and the victim went for a knife.

The suspect later said he helped the victim the previous evening after finding him stranded on the side of a road. The suspect said he took the victim to his house to get his spare car keys. Detectives were able to confirm the two left a gas station together.

The suspect and victim went to a wedding party the victim had been at previously, where he said he left his keys in his vehicle. 

The two later went to the suspect's home and drank alcohol. They spent the night together, according to the suspect.

The suspect said he may have been drugged because he did not remember what happened and believed several belongings were missing. The suspect said he believed the victim took those belongings.

A fight ensued, according to the suspect. At some point the rifle was fired. The suspect told detectives two shots were fired during the fight; the coroner said it appeared a shot to the victim's head occurred after he was laying on the floor. The victim also appeared to have been beaten, according to the coroner.

Several of the items the suspect said were missing were later found throughout the house, according to the statement of probable cause.

Detectives learned there have been multiple mental issue calls to the address, according to the statement

The suspect was arrested for second-degree murder and booked into Thurston County Jail.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the TCSO at 360-704-2740 or by email at detectives@co.thurston.wa.us.

    

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