By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – The Lewis County coroner says 21-year-old Austin Smith died of a gunshot wound to the chest.
The manner of death has been labeled a homicide, but the sheriff’s office yesterday said they were investigating the circumstances which a witness said was an accidental discharge by Smith’s 20-year-old brother who was handling a firearm at a residence on the 500 block of Third Street in Pe Ell.
Aid and deputies were called to the home just before 9 a.m. on Saturday, but Smith died enroute to the hospital. Both men are residents of Pe Ell.
Coroner Warren McLeod also released the name of the 46-year-old man found dead by his girlfriend in the 300 block of Mandy Road outside Toledo near an Interstate 5 overpass about noon on Saturday.
Christopher E. Torkelson, 46, of Toledo, died from multiple blunt force injuries to the head, neck chest and back, according to McLeod.
The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s help to figure out what happened. They said the girlfriend told them she had last seen him late Friday night into Saturday morning and was looking for him.
A determination on his manner of death won’t come until after further investigation and the results of toxicology tests, according to McLeod.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
RIP Austin </3