Dedicated to the citizens of Mason County, Washington since 1886
Dedicated to the citizens of Mason County, Washington since 1886
Three of the four people involved in a January shooting death in Tahuya were each sentenced to at least 12 years in prison July 7 in Mason County Superior Court.
Judge Monty Cobb sentenced all three people, handing down a 15-year sentence to Jacob Elijah Joe Ualika. Ualika, 24, pled guilty to one count of second-degree murder in the killing of Alejandro Rodriguez, 28, who was killed by gunshot wounds to the head and chest, according to the affidavit of probable cause.
Brenda Maja Hudson-Culp, 28, pled guilty to second-degree murder in May and was sentenced to 12½ years in prison. Crystal Marie Dodson, 43, pled guilty to second-degree murder June 12, and was sentenced Friday to 20 years in prison.
Breanna Lynn Stewart, 26, has pled not guilty to one count of first-degree murder. A trial is scheduled Aug. 15.
According to the affidavit, Rodriguez’s body was found by someone walking in Tahuya on Jan. 4 in a wooded area between the dirt road leading from Northeast Haven Way to Camp Lyle McLeod and Lake Christine. Mason County Sheriff’s Office deputies learned Rodriguez had contacts with a woman believed to be his girlfriend, Brenda Maja Hudson-Culp.
According to the affidavit, Hudson-Culp, Breanna Lynn Stewart, Crystal Marie Dodson and Ualika were planning on accusing Rodriguez of molestation.
The group, along with Rodriguez, drove from Bremerton to Belfair in Stewart’s grandmother’s car. The plan to confront Rodriguez was known to all other than Rodriguez.
According to the affidavit, Stewart drove the five people to a dirt road and after stopping, everyone exited and walked down a wooded trail, and Rodriguez was told there were there for target practice with Stewart’s pistol. While on the trail, Rodriguez and Ualika got into a physical altercation and Rodriguez was shot and killed.
According to statements made by Stewart and Dodson after emerging from the woods, Hudson-Culp believed that Stewart and Dodson each fired one shot that killed Rodriguez, according to the affidavit.
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