An 18-year-old Washougal man is dead and a 19-year-old Portland man is facing a first-degree manslaughter charge after a shooting inside a Minnehaha townhouse last month. Cavett was later arrested in Portland.
According to court records reported by the Camas-Washougal Post-Record, the victim, Loic Swindler, was fatally shot inside the townhouse in the Minnehaha area before Cavett fled. Cavett was arrested at a Portland gas station that same day. He was booked into Multnomah County Jail before appearing in Clark County Superior Court.
Court filings reportedly include an allegation that the firearm accidentally discharged, as reported by KATU. Cavett is accused of killing Washougal man Loic Swindler and now faces additional allegations of tampering with evidence, theft of a motor vehicle and unlawful possession of a pistol, as noted by Camas-Washougal Post-Record.
Events Before Cavett Fled
Defense statements during court proceedings, as reported by the Post-Record, addressed what happened before Cavett fled. The cited filings are part of the case record. The Post-Record's reporting frames the case as a tension between that claim of an accidental discharge and allegations that Cavett acted recklessly, then compounded the situation by fleeing and allegedly tampering with evidence.
Cavett appeared for his Clark County Superior Court bail hearing via Zoom, wearing a suicide-prevention vest, and a judge set his bail at $300,000, The Columbian reported in The Columbian. The cited report does not describe his public-defense representation.
A Bail Hearing in Clark County
The case proceeded through Clark County Superior Court, where Cavett appeared for a bail hearing.
First-degree manslaughter is the top charge Cavett faces.
Medical Examiner Confirms Homicide Ruling
Swindler's death was classified as a homicide caused by a gunshot wound to the torso, per a report from The Columbian, though that classification does not determine criminal liability — a distinction that leaves the question of intent for the courts to sort out. Cavett fled and was later arrested.
The case comes amid attention to law enforcement in Clark County. Neighbors described the shooting as heartbreaking.
