A Hoquiam man has been charged with second-degree murder two days after he allegedly stabbed a motel employee on Monday afternoon, Feb. 28, in the east side of Hoquiam.
Michael Anthony Trujillo, 33, of Hoquiam, allegedly stabbed the 25 year old victim Armando Reyes, multiple times. Reyes was working at Oceanside Motel, authorities say. The call was reported at 2:48 p.m., according to Hoquiam Police Department Chief Jeff Myers.
Reyes, who received emergency care at the scene by Hoquiam paramedics, died of his injuries, Myers said.
Trujillo was caught soon after the incident, “even before officers arrived at the scene,” Myers said in a Facebook post.
“(Hoquiam Police) Officer Christian Slater was responding to the scene when he spotted the described suspect running westbound down an alley (as reported) from the scene,” Myers wrote in an email to The Daily World.
Once Trujillo was arrested, he was brought to Hoquiam City Jail, where he was held late Monday night until he was transferred to Grays Harbor County Jail. Trujillo was booked into Grays Harbor County Jail on Tuesday evening, March 1, according to the jail roster.
Trujillo is currently being held without bail on the murder charge, residential burglary, second-degree theft and second-degree malicious mischief, according to the Grays Harbor County Jail roster.
Myers said Wednesday morning, March 2, that he had just received a copy of the criminal information document that was filed Wednesday morning in superior court. Grays Harbor Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecutor Jason Walker filed the complaint.
The information document lists the following counts:
■ Second-degree murder
■ Second-degree assault and-or second-degree theft
The information document states Trujillo’s “intent to cause the death of Reyes did cause the death of such person.”
In addition to the “intent to cause the death” and the second degree assault charge and-or second degree theft, the information document also states Reyes was not a participant in the crime and that Trujillo was armed with a deadly weapon.
The information also lists that Trujillo also “appropriated” Reyes’ iPhone 11, which was valued at more than $750.
The malicious mischief charge is an old case from 2019, said Jason Walker, Grays Harbor’s Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecutor.
As of now, Trujillo has not received a charge for residential burglary.
“He was booked on the three charges, but I elected not to file the residential burglary (charge) at this time,” Walker said. “If I feel it’s appropriate, I can file additional charges later.”
During the initial investigation, Hoquiam police used a FARO 3-D scanner to map the entire scene, according to Myers.
“The FARO scanner was purchased with (Drug Task Force) funds and is shared between Grays Harbor County Sheriff’s Office, Aberdeen Police Department and Hoquiam Police Department,” said Myers. “The three departments have trained operators for the FARO scanner and can create three dimensional maps or scene images from the data.”
Trujillo appeared in Grays Harbor Superior Court at 1 p.m. Wednesday, March 2. The appearance was streamed live on YouTube. Myers anticipated that Trujillo would receive a high bail.
Trujillo appeared in court, via Zoom, before Grays Harbor Superior Court Judge Dave Edwards who read the charges against the suspect.
The charges the judge levied were second-degree murder and second-degree theft.
Trujillo was also appointed co-counsel and received $750,000 bail. He will next appear in court for an arraignment on Monday, March 14, at 1 p.m.
