EVERETT — A Renton man was found dead in his car Saturday in rural Whidbey Island in what Island County sheriff’s deputies believe was a murder.
Russel A. Douglas, 32, was last seen by his estranged wife Friday morning in her home in Langley. He had apparently gone to run errands. The couple’s children live with the wife.
A couple taking a walk about 4:30 p.m. Saturday discovered the victim in his yellow 2002 Chevrolet Tracker in a driveway to a cabin off Wahl Road about five miles from Freeland. He apparently died of a single gunshot wound to the head and was apparently shot while parked in the driveway, sheriff’s office spokeswoman Jan Smith said.
The Island County Coroner’s Office is scheduled to perform an autopsy today, she said.
"Hopefully, we’ll have more information then, such as the caliber of the bullet," Smith said.
"At this point, suicide has been ruled out," she said.
Smith declined to say why detectives made that conclusion, for fear of hurting the investigation.
Wahl Road is not an arterial road, Smith said.
"It’s likely that you’d be going on that road to visit someone’s home, not to take a shortcut," she said.
At this point, it’s unclear whether Douglas knew anyone in the area of the shooting, Smith said. Detectives don’t yet know whether, at the time of the shooting, anyone was in the cabin that is next to the driveway in which Douglas was found.
Detectives have interviewed residents of the area but so far have not found anyone who heard anything, Smith said. Investigators are continuing to canvass the area.
The area where Douglas was found is a mix of old cabins and upscale homes with views of the water. Many of the homes are vacation getaways and are occupied only for part of the year, Smith said.
Anyone who saw or talked with Douglas recently or has other information on the shooting should call Detective Mike Birchfield or Detective Sgt. Mike Beech at 360-321-4400.
Reporter David Olson:
425-339-3452 or
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
