The court orders the safe detention of a teenager accused of killing five people in Fall City

SEATTLE- A 15-year-old boy accused of killing five people at a Fall City home early Monday morning is being held in secure custody pending a charging decision.

The teenager was scheduled to appear in court at the Clark Child and Family Justice Center in Seattle on Tuesday afternoon, but waived his right to appear, the King County Prosecutor's Office said. The teenager was instead represented by defense lawyers.

Judge Joe Campagna found probable cause on five counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted first-degree murder to keep the teen in secure custody and have no contact with “surviving immediate family members.”

Under Washington state law, there are no first appearance documents for juveniles. All information at the first appearance is presented orally.

The teen has not been formally charged and KCPAO has until Thursday at 4:30 p.m. to file charges with the court.

The teen has no criminal history in King County and it is too early to say whether he will be charged as an adult, according to KCPAO.

According to the King County Sheriff's Office, officers found the bodies of two adults and three juveniles at a home in the 7700 block of Lake Alice Road Southeast, which is near the Lake Alice public boat launch, after multiple 911 calls just before 5 a.m morning reported a possible shooting Monday in the Fall City area of ​​King County.

A young girl survived the incident after asking a neighbor for medical help. As of Tuesday morning, she remained in satisfactory condition at Harborview Medical Center.

RELATED |3 of 5 teens killed in Fall City home, teen suspect in custody

In Washington state, initial hearings for people under 18 are in juvenile court, regardless of how they are later charged, said KCPAO Communications Director Casey McNerthney.

“The King County Prosecutor’s Office will review the case for a charging decision when it is referred to us by Sheriff’s Office investigators,” McNerthney told KOMO News in an email. “Prosecutors anticipate that King County Sheriff’s Office investigators will refer the case for a formal charging decision as early as Thursday.”

Investigators have not confirmed the victims' relationships to one another, but several neighbors and other officials confirmed that a family of seven – including five children and two adults – lived in the home.

“This is a significant event for the neighborhood,” said Mike Mellis, KCSO public information officer. “And I would describe it as a significant event for the region.”

At a press conference Monday afternoon, Mellis clarified that there were initial reports of a suicide incident by “hanging.” Mellis said after their preliminary investigation, they concluded the situation was not a suicide.

Before emergency responders arrived at the scene, they learned that a neighbor with medical training had administered first aid to one of the surviving residents. That resident, a young girl, was taken to Harborview Medical Center and is in satisfactory condition.

Mellis said when officers arrived at the home, the incident had already concluded. When they arrived, emergency services immediately secured the scene of the accident and entered the house.

“When officers got here they saw a pretty chaotic scene, but upon entering the property they immediately took a young man, a teenager, into custody,” Mellis said. “What they found was a mix of injured and deceased.”

The KCSO Major Crimes Unit is leading the investigation along with the Medical Examiner's Office, but has requested assistance from the Washington State Patrol (WSP) to mobilize its Crime Scene Response Unit. WSP took over the forensics on site.

“It was a traumatic scene,” Mellis added. “This discovery was the catalyst for the investigation.”

Mellis said the request for help from the WSP implied the situation was serious and needed expertise and time.

“It's going to be a very significant and long investigation in this house,” Mellis said.

The KCSO obtained and executed a search warrant for the home. Mellis said he expects multiple search warrants will be issued beyond the original property.

“Search warrants in 2024 will be used frequently because technology could become relevant to a case,” Mellis said. “Phone records, cloud accounts, cloud security cameras.”

Issaquah police, the King County Prosecutor's Office and the King County Coroner's Office all responded to the scene. According to Mellis, the KCMEO will be the only agency to release the names and biographical information of the victims.

Mellis said the KCMEO brought its own investigators and doctors to view the crime scene and help determine the cause and manner of death.

The neighborhood is quiet and there is little crime or police activity, Mellis said. A general search of the address revealed that KCSO personnel had not responded to any significant incidents at the home in the past and it was not a “problem home.”

“It's a pretty nice area, the crime rate is generally low,” Mellis said of Fall City, an unincorporated area in King County. “This is really one of those neighborhoods where you come to get away from the hustle and bustle of a bigger city, it's said to be a quiet place, but as you can see, the worst things can happen in any place.”

“Everyone in this community will play their part in this tragedy,” Mellis added.

Several neighbors told KOMO News that the children who lived at the home were homeschooled.

“Especially the younger kids, the sweetest kids, so polite, homeschooled and it's just unimaginable,” said Cameron Doerrer, who lives in the area. “The parents probably thought they were doing the right thing by homeschooling their children and protecting them from such bad things happening in the world and here it is happening right from within, I don't even know what to think. “

“We understand at this time that the family involved did not attend our schools, but recognize that events like these can affect all of us, including our students,” Dan Schlotfeldt, superintendent of the Snoqualmie Valley School District, wrote in a letter to parents and added that schools will have counselors and support staff available throughout the week to assist any students who may need support.

The KCSO said investigators are organizing and determining what other resources or agencies are needed to support the investigation. The KCSO also said witnesses were cooperating and assisting investigators with the investigation. Mellis said the KCSO does not expect to make any further arrests.