4 arrested, fifth suspect sought in beating, strangulation of man
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TACOMA, Wash. -- Four people have been arrested and a fifth suspect is being sought in the death of a man found bound, brutally beaten and strangled outside a Graham home.
Dean Barker was found dead outside a vacant home in the 22200 block of 124th Ave. E. on the night of Sept. 8. Investigators said 51-year-old Barker's hands were bound behind his back, his mouth taped shut and a red bandanna tied around his neck. An autopsy revealed he had been beaten and strangled.
Four people -- Angela King, 24; William Barry, 33; Justin Mahaffey, 23; and a 17-year-old suspect whom KOMO has chosen not to identify-- are being held on $2 million bail. They have not been charged.
Police are also seeking 30-year-old Jeffrey W. Powell, II, who has been charged with first-degree murder, first-degree robbery and kidnapping in the first degree. A warrant has been issued for his arrested
When questioned by investigators, several of the suspects said they abducted and beat Barker because they believe he had molested a toddler, according to the statement of probable case. One suspect claimed Barker had also sexually assaulted a woman.
However, Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist said the suspects' claim of vigilante justice for the victim's alleged sex crimes may not be true as investigators have not found any evidence to support either claim.
"Why wait until weeks after the alleged sexual assault? Why take the victim's watch? Why steal the victim's money?" said Lindquist.
After the beating, the suspects took Barker's wallet and split the cash, they told investigators. They also tied a red bandanna around his neck to "mark him, as Mahaffey belongs to a blood gang, the statement said.
The 17-year-old suspect said she participated in the beating, but did not accompany the others to the home where the victim was abandoned. King said she went to the Graham home, but stayed in the car while Mahaffey and Powell walked Barker out of the car. She said Barker was still alive when she and Mahaffey left the scene.
The four suspects are due in court on Tuesday.
Dean Barker was found dead outside a vacant home in the 22200 block of 124th Ave. E. on the night of Sept. 8. Investigators said 51-year-old Barker's hands were bound behind his back, his mouth taped shut and a red bandanna tied around his neck. An autopsy revealed he had been beaten and strangled.
Four people -- Angela King, 24; William Barry, 33; Justin Mahaffey, 23; and a 17-year-old suspect whom KOMO has chosen not to identify-- are being held on $2 million bail. They have not been charged.
Police are also seeking 30-year-old Jeffrey W. Powell, II, who has been charged with first-degree murder, first-degree robbery and kidnapping in the first degree. A warrant has been issued for his arrested
When questioned by investigators, several of the suspects said they abducted and beat Barker because they believe he had molested a toddler, according to the statement of probable case. One suspect claimed Barker had also sexually assaulted a woman.
However, Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist said the suspects' claim of vigilante justice for the victim's alleged sex crimes may not be true as investigators have not found any evidence to support either claim.
"Why wait until weeks after the alleged sexual assault? Why take the victim's watch? Why steal the victim's money?" said Lindquist.
After the beating, the suspects took Barker's wallet and split the cash, they told investigators. They also tied a red bandanna around his neck to "mark him, as Mahaffey belongs to a blood gang, the statement said.
The 17-year-old suspect said she participated in the beating, but did not accompany the others to the home where the victim was abandoned. King said she went to the Graham home, but stayed in the car while Mahaffey and Powell walked Barker out of the car. She said Barker was still alive when she and Mahaffey left the scene.
The four suspects are due in court on Tuesday.
This kind of behavior is occurring because we do not punish vigilante behaviors. We have effectively made the abuse excuse a free pass to murder. As a result, we get consequences like this:Â http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eb9trzuBuYThere will soon be sympathy for these people once the victim industry gets wind of it. Â
@oncefallenbook - kind of making a leap there....however, to your point, I also have been surprised at the judicial system in this state and it's âleniencyâ.. so maybe it is more of a âhopâ..
I saw a picture of the 5th suspect they are seeking on the news. He looks like a psycho.
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Of course they all sang like canaries... they knew the name of the fourth person within minutes of arrest. No honor among thieves. As it should be. And good job, William Barry... did you even report the so-called "molestation" of your own kid? So now you get to go to prison for decades... leaving any other of your children and your family without an income or role model. Yeah, that works.Â
they don't want to give the 4th suspects name because she sang like a canary !!!!!
@freespeach Not a bad thing!
Nothing wrong with commenters naming the 4th suspect: Aileenah Horton was booked into Pierce County jail 09/28/12 for murder 2, kidnapping 1, and assault 1.
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And she's no longer missing so WSP can update their website: http://www.wsp.wa.gov/crime/docs/mischild/Horton_Aileenah.pdf
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 @Bex Since that info's now here, and KOMO chose not to identify, I wouldn't be surprised if they remove that comment for that reason.
 @Bex Nice work!! That rotten lil gal is now a murderer.
Still early days in this case. Other than talk by the suspects,  there is no solid evidence to prove or refute the claims...yet.
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Incredibly ugly thing to do, regardless.
Found this:
http://blog.thenewstribune.com/crime/2012/10/01/people-arrested-in-death-of-lakewood-man-claim-they-attacked-him-to-avenge-sex-crimes/
Some people are no better than mad dogs.
What is wrong with people these days? It's almost like there is no value in human life anymore.
 @Koreanman012 I'm guessing that both Meth and Crack are at least a part of society's degradation. Both substances can cause irreversible brain-damage.
No need to worry the nanny state justice system will have them all back in the hood in a couple of years...
"Four people -- Angela King, William Barry, Justin Mahaffey and a 17-year-old suspect whom KOMO has chosen not to identify-- are being held on $2 million bail."
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Great job... now where are the mugshots of the three who have been named?
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"Police are also seeking 30-year-old Jeffrey W. Powell, II, who has been charged with first-degree murder, first-degree robbery and kidnapping in the first degree. A warrant has been issued for his arrested(sic)"
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So here's a man charged with first-degree ROBBERY, KIDNAPPING AND MURDER who is on the lam in our community... it would be a great help to have a PICTURE of him.Â
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So... where is it?
Lets see here. Thug boyz and grrlz beat and kill this guy. Need excuse when caught.
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Oh, yeah, he assaulted the grrlz. So, did they call the cops when that happened? Nope.
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Did they kill him, because they know dead men can't contradict their made up story?
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Yup!
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For once Lindquist has some good insights, not always the case. But, he says MAY be made up.
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What a wuss.
How wonderfully Islamic of them to decide that someone has done something that is afront to them and they shall administer their own chosen penalty for said afront.
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 @NBA_Is_Useless "How wonderfully Islamic"
Oh, BS!
This has nothing to do with ANY religion - it is just another case of evil people doing evil things.
It sounds more like a robbery and murder than any kind of "retribution", religious or not.
I don't see why the 4th suspect was not identified by KOMO. Â Can someone give me a clue?
@ HullenbeckCowl Media does not identify minors unless the courts deem them "adults".Â
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This whole lot needs to be taken out back and beat with a hickory switch.
 @Content_People So they beat a guy who they thought broke the law and was not proven in court.
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Now you want to take these people who you think broke the law and not proven in court and beat them?
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How is that any better than what they did?
 @dpb The one girl admitted they did it, but she and another stayed in the car.
 @dpb  @Content_People There is a lot of that same mentality posted on this list.
                                                       Komo practices "CYOA". I do too!