3 sentenced in WA teen's 2020 murder at Houghton Beach Park
KIRKLAND, Wash. - Three teens have been sentenced in the 2020 murder of an 18-year-old at Houghton Beach Park in Kirkland.
It happened on September 16, 2020, where 18-year-old Cyrus Mason was shot to death on the park's dock.
The backstory:
Three teens, identified as then 17-year-old Joshua Hawthorne, 18-year-old Chrisean Kaufman, and then 16-year-old Calvin Vao, had conspired to rob Cyrus at the park.
Cyrus and two juvenile acquaintances had arranged to meet via social media for a gun transaction, which involved trading an AR-style rifle for cash and a pistol.
During the encounter, Cyrus was shot five times with a handgun and later died.
Witnesses spotted Hawthorne and Vao running from the scene after the shooting, and escape in a dark BMW sedan driven by Kaufman.
After extensive work from the Kirkland Police Department, including analyzing surveillance footage, executing over 15 search warrants, and conducting social media analysis, officers were able to track down and arrest the three suspects.
All three suspects are now serving prison sentences.
Both Kaufman and Vao accepted plea deals for second-degree murder. Vao was sentenced to 172 months, and Kaufman was sentenced to 123 months.
Hawthorne, who chose to stand trial, was convicted of first-degree murder with a weapons enhancement and was sentenced to 196 months in prison.
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"I’m grateful to the members of our King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office team who worked hard over multiple years to bring the three individuals responsible for this murder to justice," said King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion. "I also want to extend my deep appreciation to the Kirkland Police Department for their excellent investigatory work and strong partnership throughout the course of this case."
This sentencing brings closure to a case that has weighed heavily on the Kirkland community.
"This case deeply affected our community, and I am proud of our officers and detectives who worked tirelessly to uncover the truth and ensure justice was served. Our thoughts remain with the Mason family, and we hope this resolution provides some measure of comfort," said Kirkland Police Chief Cherie Harris.
The Source: Information from this article came from the Kirkland Police Department.
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