LYNNWOOD — By now, someone has heard something about the night Chris Porter died.
Two years have passed since Porter’s father found his son’s crumpled body just inside his Lynnwood house. Porter, 43, had been shot to death. Snohomish County sheriff’s detectives believe the perpetrators haven’t kept the secret from everyone.
“There’s probably been talk,” detective Patrick VanderWeyst said. “We’re looking for that person who somewhere along the lines has heard something.”
Detectives this week released more details about the Dec. 14, 2005, homicide in hopes of jogging someone’s memory and bringing in key information to lead them to whoever killed Porter.
“Over time people talk. We need that one break,” Vander- Weyst said.
Investigators believe Porter was killed during a botched home-invasion robbery. They believe more than one person broke into his house. Detectives found evidence that the perpetrators forced their way in through the front door and likely confronted Porter in the entrance, near where his body was found. There’s no indication anything was stolen from Porter’s house.
Detectives canvassed the neighborhood and didn’t find anyone who heard or witnessed the shooting, VanderWeyst said.
A neighbor reported he was walking his dog about 11:45 that night and spotted two men in their late teens or early 20s walking in the area. He told detectives he didn’t recognize the pair from the neighborhood and they appeared out of place. The two men haven’t been identified.
Detectives have examined other home-invasion robberies since Porter’s death to try to determine if those might be related to the killing. So far nothing has turned up.
Meanwhile, Porter’s family is desperate for answers. They don’t understand why Porter, a father of four, was shot in his home. Relatives and friends recently gathered at a vigil to mark the second anniversary of Porter’s death. They have raised about $500 for a reward for information leading to an arrest. They’ll keep raising money.
Detectives will keep searching for whoever killed Porter.
“Maybe they’ve told some girlfriend or some acquaintance or maybe someone who is in trouble now and is looking to help themselves out,” VanderWeyst said. “Maybe Chris’ name doesn’t ring a bell but someone has talked about a robbery gone bad.”
Reporter Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463 or hefley@heraldnet.com.
Detectives seek help
Snohomish County sheriff’s detectives are asking anyone with information about the fatal shooting of Christopher “Hopper” Porter to call the tip line at 425-388-3845 or 800-CRIME-13 (800-274-6313).
Porter, 43, was shot on Dec. 14, 2005, inside his home in the 30 block of 146th Street SE, Lynnwood. His family is offering a $500 reward and Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound is offering up to a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
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