15-year-old boy accused of shooting family tried to blame murders on his brother, court documents

SEATTLE (AP) — A 15-year-old boy accused of killing his parents and three siblings this week east of Seattle tried to blame the killing on his younger brother, but the sister, who survived after playing dead, fled to a neighbor’s house. house and told the police who actually did it shootingssaid a court document released Thursday.

On Thursday, the boy was charged in juvenile court with five counts of aggravated murder. Under Washington state law, a hearing must be held before a case can go to adult court.

The 11-year-old sister of the survivor of Monday’s shooting told investigators that the defendant had recently gotten into trouble for failing exams at school and that the gun he used belonged to their father. Of all the children, she said, he was the only one who knew the code to the box in which their father kept it.

The King County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the victims as Sarah Humiston, 42, Mark Humiston, 43, and their children Katherine Humiston, 7, Joshua Humiston, 9, and Benjamin Humiston, 13 years old.

According to a probable cause affidavit by King County Sheriff’s Detective Aaron Thompson, the defendant called 911 around 5 a.m. Monday to report that his 13-year-old brother had shot their family in their Fall City home because he got in here problems with viewing pornography.

Minutes later, a neighbor called 911 to report that an injured 11-year-old girl had come home and told her family that her 15-year-old brother had shot her and that she had pretended to be dead before running away, affidavits said.

Arriving deputies detained a 15-year-old boy at the entrance and found a body inside. The 11-year-old was treated at a Seattle hospital and has since been released, a hospital spokesman said.

15-year-old waived the right to appear in court on Tuesday, according to the King County Prosecutor’s Office. His defense attorneys said in court that he has no criminal record. His attorneys did not immediately return messages seeking comment on the allegations Thursday.

The teenager is due to appear in court on Friday afternoon.

Mark Humiston worked as an electrical engineer at Hargis Engineers in Seattle.

“We are stunned and saddened by the tragic events that have resulted in the loss of a valued colleague, mentor and friend, as well as the loss of close relatives,” the company said in a statement on Thursday. “Mark’s leadership and vision have been an integral part of our firm and he will be greatly missed.”