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 SUNDAY, MARCH 21, 2010 12:19 am |
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Local News 
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Arlington brothers’ fight led to death, police say An Arlington man is in jail after he allegedly shot his brother after many disagreements, the most recent about cattle. ARLINGTON — A long-standing feud between brothers ended in bloodshed on an Arlington farm over the weekend.Detectives believe the latest dispute between the Hillis brothers was over cattle. Mark Hillis, 47, is in jail under investigation of second-degree murder. His older brother John Hillis Jr., 52, was found dead Saturday outside their mother’s house on the property the family has farmed for more than 100 years. The men’s mother told investigators that her older son came to talk to her about moving some cattle from one area of the property to another, according to a police affidavit filed Monday. John Hillis took over management of the farm after his uncle died and his father suffered a stroke, court papers said. He lives down the road from his mother. Mark Hillis moved in with his parents about a decade ago. The brothers got into a fight. Their mother told investigators that her younger son retrieved a gun from his bedroom and fired a warning shot into the ceiling. John Hillis was trying to get out of the house when he was shot, court records said. Their mother told investigators she thought her younger son shot her older son. She later told investigators that she thought Mark Hillis fired two warning shots and John Hillis slipped on the porch and hit his head, according to the police affidavit. Paramedics found a bullet hole in John Hillis’ back. Mark Hillis appeared briefly Monday in Everett District Court. Several neighbors and family members told investigators they were worried that his mother would bail him out of jail, and they feared for their safety, Snohomish County sheriff’s detective Brad Pince wrote. Hillis was ordered held on $1 million bail. Court papers document years of bad blood between the brothers. John Hillis accused his brother of being behind a lawsuit that their mother filed against him last year. She said John Hillis was attempting to steal land from her, logging the property without her permission and digging holes in the farm roads. Both brothers accused each other of manipulating their mother, 80. John Hillis accused his younger brother of physically assaulting their mother for years. She sought a restraining order against Mark Hillis in 2005 after he ripped the door off her oven and threatened her, court papers said. “My brother Mark Hillis has undue animosity towards me and is an angry and violent person. He has an uncontrollable temper leading to violence against me, my mother and others,” John Hillis wrote in court papers. “Mark wants me off the farm property and is doing everything he can to accomplish that including using threats, physical abuse and intimidation against my mother to accomplish that.” Other siblings also accused Mark Hillis of abusing their mother and taking advantage of her, according to court documents. Mark Hillis disputed the claims against him. He in turn accused his older brother of trying to bilk his mother out of her land and money. A month after the lawsuit was filed against John Hillis, another brother asked a judge for a protection order against Mark Hillis on behalf of their mother. The petition indicated that their mother was being manipulated and mistreated by Mark Hillis. She opposed the protection order. A judge determined that she was able to care for herself and was not incapacitated under the law. The petition was thrown out. The lawsuit against John Hillis went to trial a few months later. A Snohomish County judge found in favor of John Hillis and ruled that his mother legally gave the land to her son as a gift and hadn’t been swindled out of the property. The court, however, also found that John Hillis “behaved rather badly” during the course of the lawsuit and ordered him to not interfere with his mother’s property. “The Court is always saddened when family relationships are compromised to the extend they became here, and hopes the ending of the lawsuit will allow the parties to repair their relationship,” Snohomish County Superior Court Judge Ellen Fair wrote in January. Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463; hefley@heraldnet.com. |
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Growing up with the Hillis Family & attending Travten School was some my most fun times in my younger days. We all learned alot of comnonsence between building rafts, Ice Skating on the pond or playing Baseball at recess. We did this all as a team! All Families have tuff times in life and trying to keep a Farm going can be very dificult ,Fiancial wise adds alot of pressure on each. Then keeping our Parent's Healthy and trying to do the best for them adds to it. As kids we all have our own Ideas of how to do all of this, but then we all need to slow down and realize CONTROL or GREED need to be set aside, and we all need to share and not let our tempers get out of control. I just can't believe this happened, My heart goes out for the Families.
Marlene Martin | Dec 9, 2009 11:26 am | 0 replies | Request removal
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I went to High School with John, Talked with him from time to time throughout the years, Was pretty good freinds with him. I just talked with John about two weeks ago about cars of course. It sadden's me to think about the ones left behind,wife & daughter the little one who will grow up without a father to watch her grow up and a wife to share those memories of the same, alittle girl that grows up and has soccer or baseball games. All this due to the Cowardly act of a so called brother who should get the most that a sentence of Murder can give. Or sent somewhere where he will have to think about what he did to a man that loved his Daughter and will never get to take part in her life again. You are a LOW Life jerk as Debbie said that should rot in Hell.
Paul Power
Paul Power | Dec 9, 2009 6:05 am | 0 replies | Request removal
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This parallels the Saga of Cain and Abel...
al agena | Dec 8, 2009 9:27 pm | 0 replies | Request removal
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I lived and worked with John on the farm, I knew his father and uncle as well as his mom brothers and sisters.
John chose to live and work the farm after high school graduation instead of college, that was a choice his father gave him as well as the rest of the kids. John chose to take the money they had saved for tuition and travel to Europe to backpack through farmland stopping to visit and experience the stories the locals there had about WWII, John was facinated by that war, he was no stranger to the Discovery channel.
I have seen the the interaction between the two of them fist hand, it was generally Mark who would instigate issues, his arguement always seemed to be weak in that either he didn't fully understand what he was talking about or purposely meant to impose the arguement just to try and make John angry.
Mark had attacked John several times over the years, always while John was retreating from the confrontation. I feel that this was a premeditated action clear to the point of the minor head wound Mark sustained, most likely from the shot into the ceiling....I bet that was actually a SECOND shot and probably designed to deflect suspicion and to cause the wound... he probably used his own blood to smear around his face to make it appear like a fight had occured.
John could not chase down anyone, hell he had a problem walking, most likely it was a voerbal confrontation, Mark went to his room while John sat at the table, Mark returned with the gun, John got up and headed for the door, Mark shot him then fired into the ceiling. John was always worried that Mark would back shot him like the coward that he is.
Mark better never get out.
Eddie....
Robert Newmiller | Dec 8, 2009 7:14 pm | 0 replies | Request removal
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murder is murder wether you are shot once or a dozen times the outcome is still the same some loved one gone.they need to lock them up throw away the key. Change the law governer, these kind of people should not be allowed to get bailed out, Thank the lord he wasn't bailed out god only knows which person he would go after next, I hope he rots in hell
debbie larsen | Dec 8, 2009 12:25 pm | 0 replies | Request removal
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Maybe if he would have shot him six more times in the back he would only be charged with manslaughter? What a travesty in the way that this prosecutors office brings charges, Meade shot Niles 7 times in the back and is on PAID HOLIDAY charged only with manslaughter! This man only shot once in a diminished capacity situation and he is charged with 2nd degree murder and has a million dollars bail, what a travesty and a slap in the face to every law abiding citizen everywhere...
DiGGer Don | Dec 8, 2009 12:02 pm | 0 replies | Request removal
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i had a long standing feud with my brother after i found out he banged an ex i was divorcing. It took me a long time to get over that, but time heals all wounds even when it comes to family.
Some people simply place their family members on a pedestal, like i did. You're in for a hurt of trouble if you think that.
Killing a family member (or anyone), despite abuse in the family (or any abuse), despite how many siblings "agree" to it (or friends), is a complete & total abomination against everything "family" & "friends" represents.
It looks to me as both brothers had a wild & violent side, i suspect inherited & evolved over the years. But when it comes right down to it, only ONE murdered the other one. And over what? ---hate, jealousy & narcissism.
cme everett | Dec 8, 2009 1:52 am | 1 replies | Request removal
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This is a sad time in the valley, I have known john since 5th grade, he was not violent or mean but had a sharp wit and when needed a bit ting tongue and he was constantly backed into a corner by his insane brother mark, any rational human being with half a brain, upon meeting mark would realise the man was seriously flawed, he was scary,it was in his eyes it was in his speech, it was in his heart, Satan personified. All john wanted was to keep the family farm intact, all his life that's all he worked for he quit a good job at boeing after 10 years or so and came home to run it full time after his uncle Charley passed and his father John Sr. had a stroke .one man to replace 2 and 600 acres to take care of. John carried on his fathers and uncles vision and because of him and ONLY him, left the farm in way better shape than it ever had been. This was a man who could of been from a different age, when the land the legacy, the family name that's been here since the first white men came to the valley, he cared not about money but history and his murdering brother mark only wanted to sell , sell, sell, money , money , money, the greedy little piece of **** I guess it only takes one piece of **** to destroy 120 years of work... One of the good Hollis boys has come home from the fields, nites fell, open the barn doors, and put the tractor away, come on in to the warmth and the light, come on home John, we love you,,,,,,
debbie larsen | Dec 08, 2009 11:01 am | Request removal
My husband and I are saddened by John's death. We will miss not hearing his tractor coming up the road or seeing him pull in our driveway. John and his mother worked hard to keep the farm from going under. Despite John's disabilities he worked hard to make it happen. John did not live a lavish life style and the logging went to support the farm, pay taxes, etc. John did the work! John gave to his Mom! John took care of his family! Who will do it now? Mark gave me the "willies" whenever I would speak to him. I am sorry to say that but it is a fact. My heart goes out to the brother and sisters, Mom, Wife and Little Girl. God help us all. Barbara and David Benton
Barbara Benton | Dec 8, 2009 9:35 am | 0 replies | Request removal
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