Bothell murder suspect hoped to dedicate himself to charity after rescue

BOTHELL — Four years ago, Michael Knapinski’s heart stopped for 45 minutes after he got lost while hiking near Mount Rainier.

But Knapinski, who arrived at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle with his body only at 70 degrees fahrenheit, recovered miraculously. His story made international headlines.

In an interview with The Seattle Times after his rescue, Knapinski talked about his work volunteering and how his near-death experience changed his life.

“And as soon as I get physically able, that’s going to be my calling in life,” he said. “Just helping people. … I’m still just shocked and amazed.”

On Thursday, prosecutors charged Knapinski, 49, with second-degree murder in the shooting death of Jason Martinell, 42.

Text messages reportedly led investigators to believe Martinell was dealing drugs.

On the night of Oct. 25, Martinell, of Granite Falls, went to race RC cars with a friend just off Highway 522 near Maltby, according to the charges filed in Snohomish County Superior Court. At one point, Martinell went outside to talk to a man, later identified as Knapinski, who was driving a Toyota Sequoia.

After a few minutes, the friend followed Martinell outside, according to court papers. He saw Martinell talking to Knapinski and someone else on speaker phone. The friend didn’t recognize Knapinski.

The friend heard Martinell make a deal to sell all of his drugs to Knapinski for $1,900, according to court documents.

After the phone call, Martinell got in the Sequoia and rode off with Knapinski, the friend told detectives. The friend followed them to the Safeway at 20711 Bothell Everett Highway, about 5 miles away.

The Sequoia parked. The friend parked nearby and watched. Not much later, he saw the Sequoia’s passenger door open, someone get out and the Sequoia drive away. He drove over and found Martinell on the ground, the charges say. Too scared to call police, he drove away.

Another witness later found Martinell and reportedly called police.

When Snohomish County sheriff’s deputies arrived, around 11:20 p.m., they tried CPR, but Martinell died at the scene. Paramedics didn’t notice any obvious injuries that would’ve led to his death, according to court documents.

But an investigator from the Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office found a small wound on the back of Martinell’s head. Investigators also found defects in Martinell’s hat and the hood of his sweatshirt, leading them to believe Martinell had been shot, according to court papers.

“There is no indication that the victim assaulted or otherwise threatened the defendant,” deputy prosecutor Elise Deschenes wrote in the charges. “It would appear the defendant chose to shoot and kill the victim for $1,900 worth of drugs.”

Martinell’s fiancee told detectives another man had introduced Martinell to Knapinski. Investigators learned Knapinski lived at that man’s address. In a police interview, the man reported Knapinski acknowledged shooting Martinell.

“I did it,” Knapinski reportedly said. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

Text messages showed Martinell and Knapinski had been texting in the hours before the killing, according to the charges. Detectives also found a Sequoia registered to Martinell.

Two days after the shooting, police arrested Knapinski in Seattle.

Knapinski has no felony convictions, court records show. He has nearly a dozen misdemeanors, but none since 2016.

He has remained in the Snohomish County Jail with bail set at $1 million since his arrest.

Jake Goldstein-Street: 425-339-3439; jake.goldstein-street@heraldnet.com; X: @GoldsteinStreet.