Mattawa man jailed in connection with alleged homicide

A 56-year-old Mattawa man was booked early Friday morning into the Grant County Jail on suspicion of second-degree murder for allegedly shooting to death his neighbor.

Grant County Sheriff’s Office deputies were called at about 2 p.m. Thursday for an unknown problem or medical issue in the 21000 block of Road 24.7 Southwest, about three miles southwest of Mattawa, GCSO Chief Deputy Dustin Canfield said.

Upon arrival, they found Antonio Quiterio Magallon, 54, of Mattawa, who was struck by gunfire, in a pasture behind a home, Canfield said. Detectives deemed the shooting a homicide, he said.

Deputies received information on a suspect’s location Thursday night, he said, and called Juan Manuel Silva Murillo, who surrendered and was taken into custody in the rural Mattawa area.

His bail was set at $5 million on Friday at his first court appearance. His arraignment was scheduled for Aug. 30.

Canfield said Friday afternoon deputies had an idea of the motive, but he and others had been working the crime scene for more than 24 hours and still needed some time, as they wanted to be sure before they released information.