Vigil held for slain Montesano man Thursday evening

Hundreds of people packed Montesano’s Fleet Park Thursday evening to share their memories of Kenneth Koonrad, a Montesano man who was one of two people found shot to death at a Shelton home Tuesday.

Killed were Koonrad and Shelton resident Tara M. Abernathy. They were killed at Abernathy’s home.

Wednesday, a day after the killings, Jared Abernathy, a 33-year old Western Washington resident who had been a suspect in the murders, committed suicide after a six-hour standoff in Pendleton, Ore., law enforcement officials said. Authorities haven’t characterized the relationships, if any, between the three.

Autopsies were performed Thursday on both victims found in Shelton. Mason County Coroner Wes Stockwell released the following statement: “Kenneth E. Koonrad died from a single gunshot wound to the chest. The death is a homicide. Tara M. Abernathy died from a single gunshot to the head. The death is a homicide.”

THE VIGIL

Christyn Delgado and her husband Ryan were among the crowd Thursday night, reminiscing about a man who Christyn described as a “great guy” who would pick up Montesano kids (including hers) after sports practices. “He touched so many lives. Everyone loved him.” Koonrad’s teenage son was also in the park, and Delgado said there was some comfort in knowing Koonrad’s “legend is living on through his son.”

Chatting with friends in the park were Cathleen Quinton and Callee Douglas. “He would literally give you the shirt off his back. Whatever you needed, he’d give it to you,” said Quinton, who shared memories dating back to their Montesano High School days. Douglas, who works at the Hot Shots Espresso stand across the street from Fleet Park, remembered living in the same apartment complex when she moved out on her own for the first time. “We shared a wall,” she said. “He told me and my boyfriend that if we ever needed anything just to ask.” She recalled Koonrad being her first customer almost every Sunday morning. “He’d come in for coffee and we’d end up talking for two hours,” she said.

Dayna Daneker O’Connor said, “I’m just still in shock. This is the kind of thing you watch on the news in other places but never imagine would happen to someone I knew. I just saw him at a store a couple weeks ago and almost walked right past him when I heard ‘Hey you!’ I turned and we had a short conversation. I never would have imagined that would be my last conversation ever.”

O’Connor continued, “I knew who Kenny was from childhood just from living in Montesano, but about five years ago I dated his brother for a couple years and Kenny became like a brother to me. It remained that way even after his brother and I went our separate ways. He was always so funny, always joking around with me and everyone else. He was also an amazing father and took that role very seriously, and his son is so kind also and I truly believe that was from Kenny’s great influence. He was such a proud dad watching his son in sports. I told his son tonight that his dad will live on through him. He is going to be missed by many, me included.”

Jane Wright of Montesano organized the vigil. She wrote on a Facebook page she created for the event, “I would like to let everyone know there is an account set up at Great Northwest Federal Credit Union in Aberdeen. This will help the family with any expenses that come along with this tragedy. Just call or go into the branch at any of the locations and let them know this is for the Kenny Koonrad account.”

Tara Abernathy worked for the State Department of Corrections in the pharmacy at the Maple Lane facility. She had been with the department since 2008.

Following numerous leads, the U.S. Marshals and Mason County Sheriff’s Office called on Umatilla County, Ore., law enforcement agencies to look for Abernathy, who was believed to be armed.

According to a statement by Pendleton Police Chief Stuart Roberts, a Pendleton officer located his car shortly after 1 p.m. Wednesday parked behind the Motel 6 in Pendleton.

Negotiators were able to establish communication with Abernathy at 3:14 p.m. and communications were maintained for almost five hours as Abernathy spoke to family, friends and negotiators. According to the statement, at 8:06 p.m. negotiators heard what sounded like a muffled gunshot coming from the room. Oregon State Police SWAT breached the door to Abernathy’s motel room and found the suspect unresponsive.

A vigil was held for Montesano murder victim Kenneth Koonrad at Fleet Park Thursday evening. Hundreds of friends, family and community members gathered, shared memories and sent lighted balloons aloft to honor the single father, found dead of gunshot wounds at a residence in Shelton Tuesday.