15-year-old suspect in lakefront family massacre appears in court
The 15-year-old suspect charged with killing all but one member of his immediate family in their Washington state lakefront home in October appeared in court for a hearing. (Credit: KCPQ)
Attorneys for a 15-year-old boy accused of slaughtering his parents and siblings in their Washington state lakeside house last month defended the teenager's narrative, claiming there are two conflicting versions of what happened in the seemingly "perfect" family home – the suspect's version and his surviving sister's, recent court documents obtained by Fox News Digital revealed.
Authorities discovered a "significant crime scene" – the deceased bodies of two adults and three children – at the house in Lake Alice, Washington, on Oct. 21, and they immediately took the 15-year-old into custody, police said.
The King County Medical Examiner's Office identified the victims as Mark Humiston, 43, Sarah Humiston, 42, and their children, Benjamin, 13, Joshua, 9, and Katheryn, 7. A judge prohibited the media's release of the teen suspect's identity, though he is named in court records.
Mark Humiston, 43, and Sarah Humiston, 42, were killed in the massacre. (Facebook)
The suspect's 11-year-old sister survived the attack by playing dead, according to court records.
In the early morning hours on Oct. 21, the suspect called 911, claiming his 13-year-old brother had killed his family. He sounded out of breath and stated, "He just shot my whole family and committed suicide too," according to an affidavit.
During the suspect's 911 call, police received another 911 call from a neighbor, who told authorities that the 11-year-old Humiston daughter arrived at their home with gunshot wounds, telling them that her family was all dead and her 15-year-old brother was the one who shot them.
Court documents refer to the surviving 11-year-old as BAH.
"[The suspect]’s sister BAH indicated to police that [the suspect] was the one who killed their family members. However, [the suspect] spoke to a 911 operator and told the 911 operator that his brother [Benjamin] killed his family," the suspect's attorneys stated in the newly obtained records.
"There are two versions of events in this case – BAH and [the suspect]’s versions," the defense continued. "[The suspect]’s version of events appears to be forensically viable."
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A 15-year-old boy was accused of slaughtering his parents and siblings in their house in Lake Alice, Washington, on Oct. 21. (Screenshot from affiliate video)
The defense team added that the suspect's statement in his 911 call appears "consistent with the forensics received so far," claiming that there is no evidence indicating the suspect had any blood on him after his alleged mass killing.
His attorneys said that they reviewed the crime scene and "it is clear that no one who was involved in this shooting would have escaped without a substantial amount of blood on their person," according to court records.
They also claimed that there does not appear to be any motive outlined, while a previous affidavit reveals that the 15-year-old's surviving sister told police the suspect had recently gotten into "a lot of trouble" for failing tests at school when she was asked what issues her brother had at home.
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The shooting happened in the Lake Alice neighborhood of Fall City, Washington. (FOX13 Seattle KCPQ)
She told investigators that she and her younger sister were woken up by the sound of gunshots in their shared bedroom, and she saw her father and brother lying in the hallway with blood on their bodies. She then heard another gunshot and watched her sister fall to the floor. She watched her 15-year-old brother shoot her and then lean over the three bodies of her family members in the hall, touching them to see if they were alive.
To survive, she "closed her eyes and held her breath and pretended to play dead" and then escaped through a "fire window" in her bedroom.
She told police she recognized the gun her brother shot her with as her father's silver Glock handgun, which he kept in a small lockbox. She said that out of all the children, her 15-year-old brother was the only one who knew the combination to the lockbox.
Detectives and prosecutors allege the 15-year-old suspect staged the scene, prior to the arrival of first responders, to make it appear that his young brother had committed the murders and then killed himself, according to an affidavit. The 13-year-old, Benjamin, was found with a gunshot wound to the head and with the Glock in his left hand on his chest.
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After the massacre, many who knew the Humiston family were shocked by the tragedy.
"Dad worked so hard and mom was the most dedicated, loyal mother you could ask for," Rhea Robertson, a soccer coach who mentored one of the victims, told KOMO News. "You thought they were perfect. From the outside, they looked perfect to me."
The suspect was charged with five counts of first-degree aggravated murder and one count of first-degree attempted murder with a firearm enhancement, all of which have a domestic violence designation, the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office said. He is being held in secure detention at the Clark Child and Family Justice Center.
The 15-year-old did not enter a plea, pending the judge's ruling on whether the case will be moved to adult court. The case will have a status conference on Jan. 8, 2025.
The teenage suspect's attorney did not add any further information.
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