Daniel Stephen Heyting, 30, of Hoquiam was arraigned Monday in Superior Court for the Aug. 12 murder of Andrew Detwiler, 35, also of Hoquiam. Heyting is being held in Grays Harbor County Jail on $500,000 bail for first-degree murder.
According to documents filed by county prosecutor Katie Svoboda, messages found on Detwiler’s Facebook messenger account placed Heyting at the Humptulips River boat launch where Detwiler’s body was discovered.
According to court documents:
Detwiler’s body was discovered at the boat launch located at 1344 State Route 109 about 8:30 a.m. Aug. 12. Investigators arrived and observed several fresh cigarette butts, tire impressions, .22 caliber shell casings, blood spots on the ground and vegetation, and a cell phone. A large blood spot was located at the top of the boat ramp; it appeared Detwiler had been killed there and his body dragged down the ramp to the river.
Detwiler was found face down, his body exposed by the low tide. He had been shot three times in the head and face. There was no identification with the body, but investigators observed the name “Detwiler” tattooed on the victim’s back. Detwiler was known to investigators; he was part of a recent burglary investigation. Further identification was provided later by a family member.
Heyting was also tied to that burglary, and he was found to be in possession of one of the stolen items. When approached by investigators the day Detwiler’s body was discovered, Heyting said he only casually knew the victim. Heyting allowed investigators to search his shop, truck and cell phone; in the shop, ammunition similar to that found at the boat launch was found.
Heyting was arrested for possession of a stolen item and taken to the Grays Harbor County Jail. He was questioned further and later his clothes were collected. Officers observed what turned out to be blood on Heyting’s clothing.
On Aug. 13 investigators learned Detwiler’s cell phone had been discovered about a week prior to the murder near Karr Avenue and Buchanan Street. Detwiler’s Facebook messenger account was accessed, and found on it were messages sent to various people at 12:30 a.m. Aug. 12. In those messages, Heyting identifies himself and asks for assistance with a dead vehicle battery and giving his location as the boat launch where Detwiler’s body was later found. This contradicted Heyting’s statements to investigators that he had not been at the boat launch that night.
Another witness came forward with information that he had met both Heyting and Detwiler at the boat launch the night in question. Heyting allegedly tried to sell a saw and other property to the witness, but he declined and told investigators he left both Heyting and Detwiler at the boat launch.
Another witness told investigators Detwiler was carrying a black backpack with a large knife attached to its side the night of Aug. 11. That backpack and knife were both found in Heyting’s shop during a search after the incident.
Drugs appear to be behind the slaying, according to papers filed by Svoboda.
“There is ample evidence that Heyting was struggling to fund his drug addiction,” she wrote. “Detwiler was known to carry both cash and drugs. As Heyting ended up in possession of Detwiler’s backpack, it appears that Heyting took or attempted to take his property by force and killed Detwiler during the commission of the crime.”
Heyting is scheduled for a pretrial conference Dec. 17. The case is in Judge David L. Edwards’ court.
Heyting is represented by court-assigned Aberdeen attorney Erik Kupka. Kupka was found to have had a previous attorney-client relationship with Detwiler, but Heyting petitioned the court to retain Kupka as his council and the court found no reason to disqualify Kupka from the case.
