Coulee City teen charged as adult in twin brother's death

EPHRATA — A Coulee City teenager is facing adult charges for allegedly stabbing and killing his twin brother over the weekend.

Grant County prosecutors charged Shawn Wachter, 17, of Coulee City, with first-degree manslaughter-reckless in Grant County Superior Court in connection with the death of his twin brother, Shane Wachter.

During a hearing on Tuesday, Chief Deputy Prosecutor Allan White petitioned the court to set Wachter’s bail at $250,000. White said that although the defendant does not have a criminal record, there is the possibility of Wachter committing a violent offense if he were to be released. White also asked that Wachter not have any contact with the witnesses in the case, or members of his family.

Grant County Superior Court Judge John Antosz went against the state’s recommendation and set Wachter’s bail at $50,000, cash or bond. The judge ruled Wachter is allowed to communicate with his family and friends, if he is able to post bail, but is not allowed to talk about the details of the case or be within 100 feet of his Coulee City residence. Wachter’s arraignment was set for Monday morning.

About 2:30 a.m. on Sunday a woman contacted MACC Dispatch advising her son, Shawn, stabbed her other son, Shane. Paramedics arrived at the scene and located Shane, who reportedly had a stab wound to his right chest area. The victim was transported to Columbia Basin Hospital in Ephrata and later died from the stab wound, according to court documents.

The mother of the two boys told deputies her sons were fighting earlier in the night and her boyfriend was forced to break up the fight. She said when the boys were finally separated Shawn went into the kitchen and Shane followed him. She reported witnessing Shawn arm himself with a kitchen filet knife “like he usually does.” She stated she believed the stabbing was accidental.

The woman’s boyfriend gave deputies a similar account of what occurred, adding that Shane was acting belligerent toward his brother and provoking him. He claimed he could smell an odor of “hard alcohol” on Shane’s breath as he was trying to separate the boys when they were fighting.

The man reported witnessing Shawn grab a large knife.

Shane’s girlfriend was able to provide investigators with more details on why the two brothers started fighting in the first place. She said Shane came home from drinking about 2 a.m. and rolled off of his bed and started calling for his brother to help him up.

“Shawn opened the conjoining door to our bedroom and asked what he wanted. Shawn didn’t help Shane up and Shane became upset and started crying. I tried comforting Shane. Shawn told Shane to shut up and go to sleep. They started arguing about the fact Shawn was loud the night before and woke us up,” Shane’s girlfriend told a detective.

The girlfriend claimed it was then the two brothers started physically wrestling. She said she was in the bathroom when the stabbing in the kitchen occurred.

In Shawn’s statement to deputies, he reportedly corroborated several details the witnesses gave. He claimed his brother initiated the physical confrontation by pushing him first, so he pushed him back.

“Shawn stated they were twin brothers but they do fight often,” wrote a detective. “I asked Shawn if the fighting has ever gotten physical before. Shawn stated Shane has never punched him like this before but he suspects it was the alcohol. Shawn stated they have wrestled before but never punched each other.”

He said after the fight was broken up he went into the kitchen to get a cup of water and his brother followed him.

“So I grabbed a knife and I jabbed him with the back end of it to get him away from me. He still wouldn’t get away and I went to get a drink of water. I guess he walked into it (the knife),” Shawn told investigators.

“I asked Shawn how he was holding the knife when it stabbed Shane. Shawn started using his hands to show how he was holding the knife. Shawn stated he was holding the knife in front him about chest level,” wrote a detective.

The detective who submitted the police report stated the defendant did not appear to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs and was able to answer questions with consistency.

Richard Byrd can be reached via email at city@columbiabasinherald.com.