SNOHOMISH — Authorities have arrested two men in a fatal shooting last month south of Snohomish.
Prior to the arrests, police had released few details about the killing of a man, 29, found dead in the 18800 block of Yew Way early the morning of Sept. 15.
Snohomish County sheriff’s detectives learned Phoenix Myers Barnes, 27, Alan McLean, 35, and the man used drugs in Myers Barnes’ car on the day of the killing, according to a police report filed in Everett District Court.
For reasons that investigators didn’t make clear in their report, McLean punched the man in the head repeatedly as they sat in the backseat while Myers Barnes drove, McLean later told detectives. The man tried to fight back.
The man tried to run away, according to the police report. Myers Barnes got out of the car with a pistol, argued with the man and then shot him in the head and back, detectives said.
The Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office determined the man died of multiple gunshot wounds. The office classified his death as homicide, and noted additional injuries to his face.
Officials hadn’t publicly identified the deceased, as of Wednesday.
McLean told police he was afraid for his life after the shooting because Myers Barnes told him not to say anything, according to the report.
Surveillance footage reportedly showed Myers Barnes with the man in the hours before the shooting. So police turned their attention to him.
On Sept. 23, over a week after the shooting, authorities found Myers Barnes in his car in Sultan, according to court documents. Initially, Washington State Patrol troopers were looking for him due to a report of erratic driving.
However, deputies found Myers Barnes with a gun, so they arrested him for investigation of unlawful firearm possession, according to court papers. Myers Barnes has previous felony convictions for possession of stolen property, possession of a stolen vehicle and unlawful firearm possession, court records show. These convictions bar him from having a gun.
The gun appeared to match the one authorities believe was used in the shooting, according to police.
This week, Myers Barnes, of Lynnwood, remained in the Snohomish County Jail, held for investigation of second-degree murder in the fatal shooting. His bail was set at just over $3 million.
On Sept. 26, detectives found McLean in Monroe. In a police interview, he explained what happened, according to court documents.
Investigators arrested McLean, of Sultan, for investigation of second-degree murder and second-degree assault. He remained in jail this week with bail set at $1 million.
Jake Goldstein-Street: 425-339-3439; jake.goldstein-street@heraldnet.com; X: @GoldsteinStreet.
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