Life in prison for murderers of local family

Three men convicted of killing a Seabeck family, including the father whose body was discovered on a tree farm in Mason County, were sentenced to life in prison May 7.

Kitsap County Superior Court Judge Kevin Hull handed down a life sentence without the possibility of parole to Danie Kelly Jr. and brothers Robert and Johnny Watson for the murders.

John Careaga, 43, his wife Christale Careaga, 37, and her 16-year-old son Johnathon Higgins and 16-year-old stepson Hunter Schapp were all killed in January 2017. The mother and sons were found inside their burned-out home near Tahuya Lake on Jan. 27, 2017, and John Careaga was discovered a few days later in a burned car on the Mason County property on Northeast Dewatto-Holly Road, south of Forest Springs Road.

The Watson brothers and Kelly were convicted on a total of 30 counts, including first-degree murder, premeditated murder, and arson, after a five-month trial.