By Lauren Smith

The Olympian

Two brothers were charged in Lewis County Superior Court on Monday for sexually assaulting and murdering a 16-year-old boy from Randle, according to court documents.

Jonathan R. Adamson, 21, and Benito S. Marquez, 16, are being held on $10 million bail pending their next hearing. They are accused of sexually assaulting, murdering and unlawfully disposing of the body of Ben Eastman III, who died as a result of blunt-force trauma to his head.

The brothers were charged with one count each of first-degree murder, first-degree rape, tampering with physical evidence and unlawful disposal of remains.

Eastman was reported missing June 27 to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office, three days after his father last saw him.

Eastman’s cellphone records revealed he had contact with Marquez during the early hours of June 24. Text messages between the two boys indicated Eastman was headed to visit Marquez. But Marquez later told investigators Eastman never arrived.

According to the report, citizens and family later located an area with disturbed soil and a cross made of sticks at a property owned by the brothers’ relatives.

A search of the area by investigators uncovered a human foot buried in a shallow grave.

The Lewis County Coroner’s Office confirmed Saturday that the body found buried, wrapped in plastic and twine, was Eastman’s.

Adamson and Marquez fled the area, and were located Friday by the Washington State Patrol in Ellensburg.

“The two had planned on assaulting Eastman and lured him to a wooded area under the guise of a camping trip,” charging documents say.

“Eastman went to the ground and the pair continued to kick and hit Eastman. It was estimated by Adamson the assault lasted between 20 and 45 minutes.”

The brothers allegedly dug a grave near the scene of the attack, repeatedly hit Eastman with a rock, and removed his clothing before burying him. They burned Eastman’s clothing and their own, according to the documents.