'He was always happy:' Family remembers Dan Presley as investigators search for his killer
TUMWATER, Wash. - Thurston County sheriff’s investigators and the family of Dan Presley are still looking to catch his killer months after he was found murdered in his home.
On Aug. 7, Thurston County Sheriff's deputies were called to a home 800 block of 93rd Avenue SW in Tumwater after a woman called to report that she saw her brother dead through a window when she went to check on him.
When deputies entered the home, they found 51-year-old Presley dead in a bedroom with a gunshot wound to the head. An investigation determined he was shot through a window while he slept.
"It was a horrific act. Nobody deserved or deserves to be gunned down like that while you’re sleeping," sister Kellie Presley said.
Detectives say based on the condition of Presley's body, he had been dead for several days before Kellie found him.
Four months later, his family wants to know what happened to him as they prepare to spend their first Christmas without him.
"He was always happy, outgoing. He made you laugh," said Kellie.
As the long-time owner of Hollywood's Premier Towing, Presley was well known in Thurston County as a person willing to lend a hand, even waving or discounting the charge for those in need.
"If you’re down on your luck, he would be there day or night, regardless," Kellie said.
Presley left behind a 6-year-old daughter named Teagan. He was killed a week before a planned family trip to Disneyland.
RELATED: Detectives: Tumwater man shot, killed through window as he slept
In the months since the murder, detective Howard Reynolds with the Thurston County Sheriff's Office has worked on several warrants but is hoping someone can shed light on a motive for the killing.
"We don’t have any reason to believe this was a sniper set back in the woods. This was personal," Reynolds said. "It appears the suspect was very close to Dan’s window at the time the shot was fired."
"This is very unusual. This very much appears to be a targeted attack," Reynolds continued.
Presley's family says he was expected to be awarded full custody of his daughter after a long court battle.
While the focus of the investigation is on the people closest to Presley, detectives say they haven't ruled out anything.
As the owner of a tow truck company, Reynolds said he has come in contact with a lot of "less than reputable folks."
Kellie still keeps his business running. She hasn't been able to see her niece, so she hopes Teagan will see the tow trucks around town and remember her father.
"We owe it to his family. We owe it to his little girl, to his brothers and his sisters to catch Dan’s killer and see that justice is done," Reynolds said.
If you have any information that leads to an arrest and conviction of Presley's killer or killers, the family will pay a $30,000 reward.
You can submit anonymous tips through Crime Stoppers of South Sound by calling 1-800-222-TIPS or through the P3 Tips app. You can also contact the Thurston County Sheriff's Office at 360-704-2740.
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