The brother of a hiker found dead in Southwest Washington last year is asking for the state’s help, claiming that county law enforcement botched the investigation.
Aron Christensen was found dead of a gunshot wound near Walupt Lake in Lewis County last August.
Right now, no one is charged with his death.
“Our mission is to make sure Aron’s death gets a full and fair investigation,” said Corey Christensen.
On Aug. 20, 2022, Aron Christensen and his four-month-old puppy Buzzo were found dead on a hiking trail.
Investigators learned that a day earlier, a 20-year-old man and his 17-year-old girlfriend were hiking in the area.
According to reports, they heard growling, and the man fired a gunshot toward the noise. The two then found Christensen and his dog dead.
Christensen says police didn't immediately give him the cause of death.
"They did know there was a bullet wound in my brother on Sunday evening, and they did not tell us for a week,” he said.
A letter from the family’s attorney to the Lewis County prosecutor’s office alleges the man and his girlfriend did not seek help. Instead, they say the man’s father reported the incident to the sheriff’s office two days later.
Upon arrival, the letter claims a sheriff’s deputy enlisted multiple people to carry Aron and Buzzo away from the scene, rather than cordoning the area off as a crime scene.
The letter also alleges that during an interview with a prosecutor, the doctor conducting Christensen’s autopsy said she felt pressured by the sheriff’s office to rule the death a heart attack, not a gunshot wound, and two veterinarians who conducted a necropsy came up with different reasons for how the dog died. The puppy was initially stated to have died of a gunshot wound, but after a second autopsy the veterinarian said the dog had likely been stabbed to death.
“It's a serious thing, and it's important for people that live in the Pacific Northwest to be aware of this situation because this just is not right,” said Pilar French, Christensen’s attorney.
Christensen’s brother, Corey, says he now wants an independent investigation conducted by the state attorney’s office.
“We want to ensure that Aron and Buzzo get a fair shot, and the state of Washington does everything to ensure justice for them, my brother and his poor puppy,” Corey said.
The attorney also sent the letter to Gov. Jay Inslee. The governor's office said Monday it has not yet reviewed the letter.
KATU reached out to the attorney general’s office and the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office and the prosecutor’s office but did not hear back.