Suspect in Hoquiam murder held on $1 million bail

Hoquiam woman murdered Saturday identified, suspect makes first court appearance

By Dan Hammock • June 12, 2017 7:00 pm
DOUG BARKER | THE DAILY WORLD Chandler Ryan Meade, the 25-year old Hoquiam man accused of shooting 25-year old Hoquiam resident Lael Hyvonen to death in the home they shared with their two young children Saturday afternoon, made his first appearance in Grays Harbor County District Court Monday afternoon. He has been charged with Murder 1 and is being held on $1 million bail. Seated to Meade’s left is his public defender Steven McNeill.
DOUG BARKER | THE DAILY WORLD Chandler Ryan Meade, the 25-year old Hoquiam man accused of shooting 25-year old Hoquiam resident Lael Hyvonen to death in the home they shared with their two young children Saturday afternoon, made his first appearance in Grays Harbor County District Court Monday afternoon. He has been charged with Murder 1 and is being held on $1 million bail. Seated to Meade’s left is his public defender Steven McNeill.

Chandler Ryan Meade, accused of killing 25-year-old Lael Hyvonen in front of their two young children over the weekend, made his first appearance in court Monday afternoon and will be held on $1 million bail.

Meade allegedly shot and killed Hyvonen at a home in the 800 block of Perry Avenue in Hoquiam early Saturday afternoon. Meade, also 25, appeared in Grays Harbor County District Court, charged with first-degree murder.

“An autopsy was conducted (Sunday) afternoon (on Hyvonen), and the cause of death was due to multiple gunshot wounds of head and chest,” said Grays Harbor County Coroner Lane Youmans in a statement released Monday morning.

Hoquiam Police Chief Jeff Myers said the shootings happened in front of both the couple’s young children and both witnessed their dad shoot their mother several times.

“I’m asking the defendant be held on $1 million bail, pending a hearing or refiling in Superior Court,” said County Prosecutor Katie Svoboda. “He is accused of committing this crime within sight and sound of his two children.” She added she felt Meade to be a flight risk, as “he doesn’t appear to own any real property or have anything else that would tie him to the area.”

Judge Kyle Imler agreed and set the bond at $1 million.

Hoquiam Police responded to the Perry Avenue home shortly after noon Saturday after Hyvonen’s 5-year-old daughter told her grandmother that “daddy shot mommy.” Officers found Hyvonen lying in the living room near the front door with a wound to her face and a large pool of blood around her. A large black pistol with a spent cartridge was found nearby. Hyvonen was pronounced dead by paramedics shortly after.

Neighbors told investigators they had heard “a loud thump” around 11:35 a.m., then saw Meade leave the home with his two children in a sport utility vehicle. According to the investigation, Meade took his children to their grandmother’s house in Central Park, then left the residence with his brother before being arrested later that day.

Svoboda further noted that the first-degree murder charge may be amended to aggravated first-degree murder if the investigation can prove what is believed to have been a “pattern of domestic violence in their relationship.” Public defender Steven McNeill was assigned to represent Meade, whose next court appearance is set for 1 p.m. July 3.