FALL CITY, Wash. — The victims of a domestic violence incident that resulted in five people killed inside a Fall City home were identified on Thursday.
43-year-old Mark Humiston, 42-year-old Sarah Humiston, 13-year-old Benjamin Humiston, 9-year-old Joshua Humiston, and 7-year-old Katheryn Humiston were identified by the King County Medical Examiner’s Office. All were reported to have died of gunshot wounds.
A 15-year-old suspect was taken into custody, according to the King County Sheriff’s Office. On Tuesday, a judge ruled that the suspect must remain in custody and have no contact with the surviving victim.
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.
“No indication that he’s come to the prosecutor’s office before, no previous cases, no first appearances. That’s unusual to see these kinds of allegations with no previous contact with the prosecutor’s office, but that’s what we have here,” Casey McNerthney with the King County Prosecutor’s Office said.
The county is seeking five counts of murder in the first degree and one count of attempted murder. The county has until Thursday to file charges.
According to a spokesperson for the King County Sheriff’s Office, the incident happened just before 5 a.m. Monday in the 7700 block of Lake Alice Road Southeast in Fall City.
During a press conference, KCSO Deputy Mike Mellis with the sheriff’s office said law enforcement from all over the area responded to multiple 911 calls about a shooting at a home in an unincorporated part of Fall City. When deputies arrived at the home, they found multiple victims who were dead inside.
According to multiple paramedics and first responders who spoke to KIRO 7 News’ Gary Horcher, five people, including two adults and three children, were killed.
A victim reportedly called police from a bathroom inside the home, where they hid during the incident, sources told KIRO 7.
King County Sheriff Patti Cole-Tindall said around 10:30 a.m. that she was very saddened and disturbed after she received the call regarding the incident.
Deputies said that a neighbor with medical experience helped one of the victims who was injured during the incident. The 11-year-old girl was taken to Harborview Medical Center for treatment. A spokesperson with the hospital said that she was in satisfactory condition on Wednesday, and by Thursday she had been released from hospital.
Deputy Mellis said it was a “traumatic scene” and the office is working to receive a search warrant from a local judge to investigate and gather evidence from the home.
Investigators spoke to some of the victims who were injured to receive the “quick and dirty version of the story,” but those details have not been disclosed as of Monday morning. Detectives are currently interviewing potential witnesses who may have information about the incident.
Mellis wouldn’t confirm at the time whether the adults were the parents of other teenagers involved in the incident but said they each lived inside the home. However, a neighbor told KIRO 7 the family had two parents and five kids.
“I just - I was shocked, I keep bursting into tears, that’s why I have to go to my daughter’s house because I can’t be there on my own. I just keep seeing their faces,” said neighbor Lynne Trowern, who said she knew the family.
“Right next to my former home and right next to my mother-in-law, where we spend the holidays and basically every other weekend throughout the summer is just beyond belief. And we have gotten to know some of the kids that unfortunately live at the home. The younger kids especially are the sweetest children. So polite. Homeschooled and it’s just unfathomable what just happened,” said neighbor Cameron Doerrer.
A prosecuting attorney was called to the scene and will handle the case.
The Major Crimes Unit is leading the homicide investigation with the help of the Washington State Patrol, which will conduct the bulk of crime scene forensic analysis, Mellis said.
Mellis said there was no history of calls to this house.
In a Monday letter to families from the Snoqualmie Valley School District, Superintendent Dan Schlotfeldt, said in a statement:
“This morning, our community was struck by the devastating news of an incident in Fall City involving multiple school-age victims. We currently understand that the family involved did not attend our schools, however, we recognize that events like this can affect all of us, including our students. Our schools will have counselors and support staff available throughout the week to provide assistance to any student who may need someone to talk to during this difficult time. Please encourage your child to reach out if they are struggling or have questions. We are committed to supporting our students and staff. If you have concerns or need further assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact your school’s counseling office. Thank you for your ongoing support of our students and community.”