Police in Washington said Monday that it has arrested three people in connection with the quadruple murder in 2017 of a prominent family that owned Juanito’s Taqueria in Bremerton.
The Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office said in a written statement that a 43-year-old man and a 49-year-old man, both from Bremerton, and a 50-year-old Gig Harbor man are facing charges in the slayings of Hunter Schaap and Johnathon Higgins, both 16; and 37-year-old Christale Careaga were found inside a burned home on Tenino Drive on Jan. 27, 2017. A fourth victim, whose remains were found inside a scorched truck in Mason County, was later identified as 43-year-old John Careaga.
The three suspects, who were not immediately identified, were all booked into the Kitsap County Jail.
According to the sheriff’s office, the warrants detailed 16 different felony charges for each of the suspects, ranging from first-degree aggravated murder, first-degree murder, first-degree arson and first-degree burglary.
Bail for each of the three suspects was set at $20 million, according to the sheriff’s office. The sheriff’s office said the three suspects were scheduled to be in court for an arraignment Tuesday afternoon..
Three years ago, Kitsap County investigators said they believed the murders were carried out by members and associates of the Bandidos Motorcycle Club, but it was not immediately clear if the three suspects were linked to the organization.
Investigators said after the slayings that surveillance video from the Camp Union Grocery near Seabeck showed John Careaga at the store around 9 p.m. on Jan. 27, just 2 1/2 hours before his family was shot to death and their home set on fire.
In that video, Careaga is seen driving his truck into the store parking lot next to an unidentified vehicle, which remains there for several minutes.
Careaga’s truck was then seen driving away from the store. Careaga meets the unidentified vehicle, then drives to a neighboring church parking lot and turns its lights off.
Two days later, Careaga was found dead in a remote area of Mason County inside the same truck, which had been set on fire.
VanGesen also revealed Thursday that the 911 call that alerted authorities to the killings was made by Hunter Schaap, one of the victims. In the 911 call, Schaap says his family has been shot and he pleads for help, saying he also has been shot.
By the time police and firefighters arrived at the home, he and the other members of his family were dead and their home was ablaze.
John Careaga and his wife, Christale, owned Juanito’s Taqueria in Bremerton.
“They were great people,” said Michael Butts who leased the property to the Careagas. “They were great to work with, and they were all hard workers.”
The murder case had grown cold after investigators were unable to formally charge anyone although they had identified a person of interest in 2018.
Investigators formed a task force to probe the slayings, and sheriff’s officials said the officials were able to identify suspects before arresting them Monday morning.
Officials did not immediately say how they were able to link the suspects to the slayings.
The sheriff’s office has scheduled a 1 p.m. news conference on Tuesday to talk about the case. Officials said, however, that they are still seeking leads from the public.
“Investigators on the task force know that there are citizens in our community that still have valuable Information about this incident,” the sheriff’s office said. “Investigators are asking for anyone with information to call and speak with Detectives. Information can be submitted to investigators at www.fbi.gov or by calling 1-800-225-5324.”
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