Hoquiam Police investigators continue to process evidence in the Saturday shooting death of Lael Hyvonen, including looking into the possibility of a history of domestic violence against Hyvonen by the man arrested for her murder, longtime boyfriend and father of her two children, Chandler Meade.
As it stands, the charge against Meade remains first-degree murder, said Grays Harbor County Prosecutor Katie Svoboda. However, if it can be proven in court that a pattern of domestic violence existed prior to Hyvonen’s murder, there is statute in state law that would allow Svoboda to amend the charge against Meade to aggravated murder in the first degree, which carries an automatic penalty of life in prison without parole and also brings the death penalty to the table.
“The problem is proving it without there being actual convictions for domestic violence,” said Svoboda. “It’s different, hearing what friends and family may know was going on in the household as opposed to what I can prove in court.”
Allegations of domestic violence come up in social media posts referring to the case. “R.I.P. to our main admin of this page. You will be missed Láel Hyvonen!!! Was a victim of domestic violence,” read a post on the Aberdeen Marijuana Spot Facebook page. Hyvonen was also an administrator for the popular Aberdeen Memes Facebook page, where a similar statement was posted. Dozens of comments followed both posts, one reading, “I told her just 4 days ago she needed to get away and get someone new I’m so heartbroken right now.”
Hoquiam Police Chief Jeff Myers said in a statement Monday, released after Meade made his first appearance in Grays Harbor District Court, “Hoquiam detectives continue to investigate the crime and secured search warrants for the cell phone of the suspect and the victim this afternoon. If there was an ongoing pattern of domestic violence, it can be an aggravating factor in the murder charge.”
Svoboda is quick to point out that legally the allegations of domestic abuse are just that: allegations.
“I’m cautious to say too much about that, because there aren’t facts to support it at this point,” she said, but adds investigators are definitely pursuing the domestic violence angle as more evidence and interviews are considered. “It is much more difficult to prove the pattern of domestic violence when the best witness, the victim, is deceased.”
At this time investigators have found no formal complaints filed against Meade regarding domestic violence, and Svoboda said Meade has “no adult convictions” for any crimes.
Investigators interviewed Hyvonen’s two young children, both under the age of nine, Monday. Before Meade’s first court appearance that day, he told Daily World reporters that both children witnessed their father shoot their mother. Myers said in his statement that the children were with family members and will be offered victim assistance and counseling services.
“It is now up to the criminal justice system to sort through the facts and decide what is to be done; but as fellow citizens and human beings, our hearts go out to the families involved,” said Myers. “This has been a difficult case for even the most seasoned of our officers and detectives.”
Myers also pointed out there are many victims in this crime, in particular the children who witnessed the incident, but also Meade’s family, who, said Myers, “Are also going through a very difficult time and have been completely cooperative in the investigation.”
A memorial service for Hyvonen is planned for Monday, June 19, at 3 p.m. at Fern Hill Funeral Home.
Domestic violence deaths in Washington
According to statistics kept by the Washington State Coalition against Domestic Violence, in 2016 there were 34 domestic violence related homicides statewide. An additional 10 deaths were attributed to abuser suicide deaths and abusers killed by law enforcement. In 2015, there were 38 domestic violence homicides and an additional 16 deaths by suicide or law enforcement; more than half the murders involved male abusers killing their current spouse or girlfriend, and in most the victim and abuser lived together.
Their statistics show 2012 was the last time Grays Harbor County saw deaths attributed to domestic violence; they list two deaths by homicide and one abuser death by suicide or law enforcement.
Domestic violence help
There is help for domestic violence victims. The Domestic Violence Center of Grays Harbor is located at 2306 Sumner Ave. in Hoquiam. During normal business hours one can call locally at (360) 538-0733, and one can reach out 24 hours a day at their toll free number, (800) 818-2194.
