Manhunt under way for suspected killers in Washington state
Two brothers accused of killing an army vet and his wife
The U.S. Marshals Service on Thursday announced a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of two brothers suspected of murdering a Washington state couple.
Brothers John Blaine Reed, 53, and Tony Clyde Reed, 49, are believed to have murdered Patrick Shunn and his wife Monique Patenaude.
The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office obtained video footage that they say ties the brothers to the disposal of two vehicles belonging to Shunn and Patenaude. Evidence collected at two separate crime scenes also pointed to the Reeds brothers having something to do with the couple’s murder.
Officials said they have evidence that the Reeds brothers were in Ellensburg, Washington on April 15 and in Phoenix the following day. Although their current whereabouts are unknown, the suspects are believed to have traveled to Mexico.
“The U.S. Marshals are committed to assist the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office in apprehending the Reed brothers," Acting U.S. Marshal David Miller of the Western District of Washington said in a statement. "We, along with our state and local law enforcement, partners will leave no stone unturned until these dangerous fugitives are brought to justice."
According to documents obtained Tuesday by Q13 Fox, Snohomish County prosecutors believe John and Tony Reed gained access to the couple’s laptop and were reading their Facebook messages days after the couple was killed.
Two friends allegedly sent Facebook messages in the two days after the couple were killed and were marked as “read” almost immediately, according to a court document.
KATU-TV reported that John Reed attempted to cash a $96,000 check in Ellensburg on the same day the couple’s abandoned vehicles were found. The brothers hadn’t been identified as suspects at the time and employees didn’t alert authorities right away.
Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office official Sheri Ireton told KATU-TV the bank wasn’t able to cash the check and instead issued John Reed five small cashier’s checks.
Tony Reed’s ex-wife told authorities that he had hinted to her that he had killed before, according to Q13 Fox. The woman described an incident in which he allegedly kidnapped a man, drove him to the mountains and dug a grave to intimidate the man into not testifying against him in a separate assault case.
Snohomish County Sheriff Ty Trenary said earlier this month the Reed brothers were seen on video surveillance disposing of the vehicles that were discovered.
John Reed’s house was “very close” to where Shunn and Patenaude lived and it’s believed there was a property dispute of some kind between the parties. John Reed had been intermittently visiting his house, officials believe.
It was known that Shunn and Patenaude had been engaged in a legal dispute with neighbors, accusing the neighbors of assault, trespassing and scratching death threats in the mud, The Seattle Times reported. The neighbors were not named in The Times report and it’s unclear if they were John or Tony Reed.
Shunn sought a restraining order against one of the neighbors, but a court commissioner dismissed the request in January, saying a physical encounter between the two groups appeared to be unintentional.
The brothers are believed to be in possession of a 2002 Gold Acura 3.2 TL with Arizona license players BNN-9968.
John Reed is described as a white male, 5-foot-8, weighing 190 pounds with hazel eyes and gray hair. Tony Reed is described as a white male, 5-foot-11, weighing 150 pounds with green eyes and gray hair.
Anyone with information or tips is urged to contact Deputy U.S. Marshal Robert Gerg at robert.gerg@usdoj.gov or the U.S. Marshals Service Communications Center at 1-800-336-0102, or usms.wanted@usdoj.gov.
The hottest stories ripped from the headlines, from crime to courts, legal and scandal.
