Sheriff Rob Snaza, left, stands between murder suspect Randolph T. Graham, in red, and the audience members in a packed courtroom today
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – The 44-year-old Winlock man allegedly gunned down in his own driveway by a neighbor while playing basketball with his teenage son was shot once in the chest, shot twice in the back and shot once near the base of his skull, according to authorities.
Randall J. Lester, 44, of Winlock, was dead at the scene when responders arrived following an approximately 8:12 p.m. 911 call last Wednesday to his residence on the 400 block of Meier Road.
The neighbor, 58-year-old Randolph T. Graham, was charged today in Lewis County Superior Court with first-degree murder and other offenses.
Graham was taken into custody hours after the events, but not booked into the Lewis County Jail until yesterday. Lewis County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Dusty Breen said the suspect was hospitalized during that period for a medical issue not related to the incident or his detainment.
“He was under our watch but had to get medically cleared,” Breen said today.
When Graham was brought before a judge this afternoon in Chehalis, several law enforcement officers were present in the packed courtroom. A half dozen persons were left standing. The four rows of benches were occupied by supporters of both the victim and the suspect, according to Lewis County Sheriff Rob Snaza.
Snaza said the extra security was because there were a lot of high emotions on both sides.
Prosecutors asked he be held in lieu of $5 million bail and Judge James Lawler agreed.
Lewis County Deputy Prosecutor Paul Masiello told the judge the large amount was requested because of the egregious facts presented and also concerns of the likelihood of Graham intimidating witnesses, since the two lived next to each other.
Lester’s wife was home when the shooting occurred, as was the 15-year-old son who ran to safety, according to authorities.
The initial information from the sheriff’s office was that Graham pulled into Lester’s driveway, brandished a firearm and fired multiple rounds.
Neither law enforcement nor the prosecutor have put forth any motive, although the investigation revealed there was an ongoing dispute between the two men, according to court papers.
Sheriff’s office spokesperson Breen said this afternoon detectives are still looking into everything. Breen said he was not 100 percent clear yet whether any words were or were not exchanged between the two men at the time of the shooting.
How many shots were fired was not stated in the affidavit regarding probable cause filed today.
Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer wrote in the affidavit the victim was struck once in the chest and it appeared the bullet exited his body. According to Meyer, the victim was shot two additional times in his back and he was shot near the back of his upper neck from behind.
“A forensic exam was concluded and, preliminarily, it appears the victim was alive when he was shot near the base of his skull, and would have been a fatal shot,” Meyer wrote.
The weapon is identified as a handgun.
Meyer writes the investigation suggests Graham fired rounds from inside his truck after he arrived toward Lester, the son and the home, and may have gotten out of the truck to fire more shots.
The initial information revealed the 15-year-old boy was outside in front of his own house when Graham drove by and traveled a short distance to his own house, according to Meyer.
A short time later, Lester and his son began playing basketball in their driveway.
Soon after, a neighbor reported hearing gunshots, a pause and then more gun shots, according to Meyer.
The teen began running toward the back of his house when the gunfire began and the house was struck multiple times, according to Meyer.
“Holes in the residence created by the bullets from the defendant’s gun appear to follow the general path taken by the minor victim as he was fleeing the area,” Meyer wrote.
Graham was charged also with first-degree assault, based on the fact the boy was present when the shooting began, according to Meyer. He was also charged with drive-by shooting as two shell casings were found inside his vehicle.
Afterward, Graham returned to his home where he refused to surrender to police; a SWAT team responded to apprehend him, according to authorities.
Centralia defense attorney David Arcuri was appointed to present Graham.
Arcuri said because of attorney and client privilege, he could not comment on the question of an ongoing dispute.
“We have a lot of work to do,” Arcuri said after the brief bail hearing.
Prosecutor Meyer stated in court papers that the defendant’s past conduct has been intimidating to the victim, his family and others including the PUD.
Graham’s Facebook page suggests he has kept the victim and the victim’s residence under surveillance and on one occasion entered the victim’s property without permission, according to Meyer.
His arraignment was scheduled for June 14.
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For background, read: “Name of Winlock father allegedly shot dead by neighbor is released” from Tuesday May 29, 2018, here
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