A night out at a Lynnwood neighborhood bar ended in tragedy after a 38-year-old man was shot outside and later died, and police say a suspect is now behind bars facing a murder charge.
The victim, Mecos Oneal, was wounded on April 10 and died at a hospital on April 15, according to police records. Investigators have booked 44-year-old Joseph Raymond into the Snohomish County Jail on homicide-related charges.
According to The Seattle Times, Raymond called 911 from an address registered to him in Marysville and told dispatchers he had been in an altercation at the bar and needed to turn himself in, later saying he acted in self-defense. A probable-cause affidavit described in the report says Raymond is facing a charge of second-degree murder and was being held in lieu of $500,000 bail.
Police Response And Scene
Lynnwood officers were dispatched to Just Left Pub & Grill on 198th Street Southwest around 10 p.m. on April 10 and found a man suffering a suspected gunshot wound to the neck, as reported by KIRO 7. The station reported that the victim was taken to a hospital in critical condition while investigators began interviewing witnesses at the scene.
Evidence And Timeline Investigators Described
Detectives wrote in a probable-cause affidavit that surveillance footage captured the two men standing next to each other roughly 13 minutes before officers were called, according to The Seattle Times. The affidavit also says officers recovered a firearm holster and a box of ammunition with six rounds missing from a Ford F-150 parked near the suspect’s home, and that a revolver with one spent casing was found during a search.
Investigators reported they did not find a weapon on Oneal and said he had about $15,000 in cash when he died.
Family Remembers Oneal
Oneal’s family described him as “a kind and outgoing person and a devoted father, son, brother and husband,” according to reporting by the Lynnwood Times. The family has asked for privacy as detectives continue to investigate.
Charges And Next Steps
Raymond is charged with second-degree murder, a crime that the Revised Code of Washington defines as murder without premeditation and classifies as a class A felony under RCW 9A.32.050. The case will move through Snohomish County courts while detectives review video, interview witnesses and develop the evidence that prosecutors will use in charging decisions.
Lynnwood detectives asked anyone who was at Just Left Pub & Grill or in the immediate area between about 9:30 p.m. and 10:01 p.m. on April 10 to contact them at [email protected], the Lynnwood Times reports. Investigators said they are reviewing surveillance footage and seeking cellphone video or other tips from witnesses to piece together what led to the shooting.
