FALL CITY, Wash. — As a teenage boy remains in custody while accused of killing five of his family members, including both his parents, community members continue to grapple with questions that may not be answered for months to come.
A 15-year-old boy was charged with five counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder with a firearm enhancement for the shooting deaths inside a home near Fall City on Oct. 21.
Here’s what we know so far:
The suspect is the son of two of the victims. He called 911 in the early morning hours and charging documents allege the boy told dispatch that his younger brother “shot my whole family and committed suicide, too.”
However, police investigation revealed a different scene had unfolded inside the Lake Alice waterfront home on Oct. 21.
An 11-year-old girl, bleeding from the neck and hand, ran to a neighbor's home. She said she had heard gunshots and screaming inside her home and saw her brother, identified as the 15-year-old suspect, before she was also shot. The girl said she “played dead" after being shot until the suspect walked away. Then, she escaped through a window and ran.
When authorities arrived, the suspect was taken into custody.
Inside the home, deputies found the bodies of Katheryn Humiston, 7; Joshua Humiston, 9; Benjamin Humiston, 13; and parents Sarah Humiston, 42, and Mark Humiston, 43.
All five victims suffered gunshots wounds and four had been shot in the head, according to the King County Medical Examiner’s Office.
The 11-year-old girl, a daughter of the Humistons, survived and has since been released from the hospital.
A King County judge ruled Friday that media cannot name or show the suspect’s face at this time in the case. KING 5 is also not naming the suspect as he is a juvenile and has not been charged as an adult.
What weapon was used?
The 11-year-old girl later told detectives that she believed the suspect used her father’s Glock handgun, which was kept in a lockbox and the suspect was the only sibling who knew the combination, according to charging documents.
The suspect made efforts to stage the scene, charging documents allege, by placing another Glock handgun in 13-year-old Benjamin's left hand that was lying on his chest.
Will the suspect be tried as an adult?
The hearing on whether the suspect will be tried as an adult is set for June 2025.
According to the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, anytime a 15-year-old is charged with aggravated first-degree murder, it is initially filed in juvenile court, however, prosecutors can ask a judge to move the case to adult court.
Prosecutors asked the judge Friday for a hearing on June 4, 2025 where both parties will provide evidence. Ultimately, it is up to the judge to decide on whether the case will be moved to adult court, which has different sentencing guidelines.
In juvenile court, if found guilty, the 15-year-old would be held at a facility for juveniles until the age of 25, which would be less than 10 years from sentencing, and released with no further sanctions.
If the case is moved to adult court and the 15-year-old is convicted, the sentence set by lawmakers is 25 years to life with presumptions of release after 25 years, which the state's sentence review board would later determine.
The 15-year-old would be held at a juvenile facility until he turns 25 and would then be transferred to the Department of Corrections.
What happens next?
The 15-year-old did not enter a plea at the Friday, Oct. 25 court hearing pending the judge's ruling on whether or not it will be moved to adult court.
The case will have a status conference on Jan. 8, 2025.
KING 5's Adel Toay, Alex Didion, Mia Hunt, Kipp Robertson, Helen Smith and Quixem Ramirez contributed to this story.