RSSMontana man reports being shot by hitchhiker; wife dies
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SELAH, Wash. — A former Yakima woman shot in the head on Interstate 82 early this morning died about 2:45 p.m. at Yakima Regional Medical and Cardiac Center, Yakima County sheriff’s detectives say.
Sheryl Huntley, 40, was living in Thompson Falls, Mont. She was a former Yakima resident and still has relatives here.
The woman’s common-law husband told detectives they were shot by a hitchhiker on Interstate 82 north of Selah. The man was hit in the hand.
The couple had been headed here to pick up a relative and return with her to Montana, said Stew Graham, chief of detectives for the sheriff’s office.
Investigators are asking for the public’s help to identify and locate the hitchhiker.
A news release from the sheriff’s office gave this account:
Yakima police learned of the incident about 3:30 a.m. when they stopped a vehicle at South First Street and Walnut Avenue.
The driver, who was not identified by authorities, said he had picked up the hitchhiker south of the southbound rest area, north of Selah, and was then robbed.
Although details are unclear, the driver tried to stop the car and struggle with the hitchhiker, who fired several shots at the man and his wife.
The hitchhiker got out of the car somewhere between the East Selah and Rest Haven exits.
The driver proceeded to Yakima and then to Union Gap before turning around on South First Street, where he flagged down another motorist to help him find a hospital. The man told detectives he was not familiar with the area and did not have a phone.
The other motorist called 9-1-1, prompting police to stop the car.
The hitchhiker was described as Hispanic, probably around 20, about 5 feet, 6 inches and skinny. His head was shaved, with a longer bit of hair across the forehead, a scar over his left eye and a “sharp” jaw line. His nose may have been broken in the past. He was wearing a red bandanna, white T-shirt, navy blue Dickies pants and two diamond stud earrings.
Besides identifying the hitchiker, detectives say they would like to speak with anyone who saw the man’s small sedan before it was stopped by police. The man said he was driving erratically to attract attention and may have been involved in a minor, unreported crash with another vehicle before the traffic stop.
Anyone with information about this case may call the sheriff’s office at 509-574-2500.
-- Mark Morey
Reading the perps description I'm wondering why they picked him up from a rest stop at 3am, hmmmmmm, something seems wrong here.
Report ViolationYeah, something doesn't seem right. And who picks up hitchhikers anymore. I don't care if it's 100 degrees or there is a blizzard.
Report Violationcheck the husband for gunpowder residue and blood splatter.
Report ViolationSince when do Mexican's hitchhike? I've never seen any hitchhiker's around the Yakima area that are of Mexican descent. Most hitchhikers I've seen are white. Plus, when has anyone ever seen a hitchhiker who wears diamond earrings? Was the husband driving? If so, how could he have struggled with the hitchhiker? He gets shot in the hand while his wife is shot in the head? This whole story is just that...a story! There's something wrong with the whole scenario and I would think that the husband has a lot of explaining to do!
Report ViolationSounds pretty fishy to me. First why would you pick up a hitch hiker at 3am in the middle of no where even if you are Mother Theresa
2nd the profile seems an awful lot like a sterotypical thug in which case why would he be hitch hiking in the middle of nowhere he would have stolen a car long ago if he was going to rob you anyway.
Sounds fishy to me. Who picks up hitchhikers anymore? It's 2009 and anytime you pick up a hiker, someone is hurt or killed. Unless these folks have been living way out in the boonies all their lives and give people the benefit of the doubt, I say he probably killed her and shot himself in the hand and thru the gun out. Seems people use the mexican or African American as the ecscape goats.
Report ViolationHiyas folks,
Hard story. My daughter is her sons girlfriend. They've been dating about 2 years. We did not get along much with this couple, tho i wish it known, i make great effort to speak with respect.
I praise God she didnt make this trip over there this time with her boyfriend and his mom, as she has done so many times in the past.
Yes it all sounds questionable, no we do not believe this was as random as it is being portrayed.
Our daughter has not made it home yet, she is supposed to be heading this way tomorro. We are not sure if "Sheryls Olman" is riding back with our kid or not. Im bettin the police are keeping thier borrowed car,,,,,,
once we saw here,that others are commenting, thus being effected however minutely, we thought we'de speak up.
Folks, you arent the only ones saying,," uuum,,, huh?"
we too are awaiting a reasonable explainasion.
Can you say "drug deal gone bad"?
Report ViolationAs soon as I got to this part of the story....
"The driver proceeded to Yakima and then to Union Gap before turning around on South First Street, where he flagged down another motorist to help him find a hospital. The man told detectives he was not familiar with the area and did not have a phone."....
Yeah right....thats a "l-o-n-g" distance to drive with your wife shot beside you, without honking or flagging down someone along the way..numerous exits he could have taken to get help without driving all the way to Union Gap...he shot her and then shot himself in the hand.
I guess the thing that strikes me funny is, we have these great signs that are blue and have a big H on them pointing the way to the area Hospitals. I've been in and through Montana many times, and they use the same symbols there also - and these are posted on Highway Exit signs, so I think that there is more to this story than is being reported. I'm so sorry that the woman's family is having to go through this. Rest in Peace
Report ViolationSounds like an update of the "bushy haired stranger" scenario. Seriously - who in their right mind would pick up a hitch hiker who looked like that, then decide to fight with them, then drive all over creation while their "common law" wife bled to death beside them?
Yep..susan smith syndrome..pick a minority and blame it on them...this story is not fooling anybody...but the investigators will let him hang himself with his own words and the CSI folks will tear holes in it.
Report ViolationSHERYL ISN'T RESTING IN PEACE..SHE'S SCREAMING AT US W/THE TRUTH...ONLY STEVEN HAS THE ANSWERS...BUT WHY ISN'T HE HERE? WHY SUCH THE URGENCY TO GO HOME WITHOUT ANSWERS???? SHERYL AND I WERE BF'S FOR OVER 10 YRS. I DIDN'T WANT TO THINK STEVEN HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS HORRIBLE NIGHTMARE, BUT....IT'S NOT LOOKING GOOD...SO-OOOOO MANY LOOSE ENDS. WHAT'S EATING @ ME IS "WHY THE URGENCY TO GO HOME?" IF MY SPOUSE AND I WENT THROUGH THIS HELL TOGETHER AND I KNEW I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT..BE A COLD DAY IN HELL I'D LEAVE THAT TOWN WITHOUT JUSTICE..ESPECIALLY WHEN STEVEN DOESN'T HAVE A JOB...HOPE WHEN ALL THE REPORTS COME BACK WE CAN PROPERLY SAY OUR GOOD-BYES..UNTIL THEN WE WON'T HEAL AND SHERYL WON'T BE @ PEACE...SO PLEASE ANYONE WITH INFO. (BIG OR SMALL) PLEASE HELP US FIND THE MURDERER.....
Report ViolationRest assurred KOBYBOY1,,,,,
EVERY person in this little town of 1300 we have spoken to about this, has that EXACT same thing to say,,,,,,,,,,
"Why are you HERE Stephen?!",,,,
"Wheres the "composite drawing of the suspect Stephen?!"
"Why arent you showing SOME sort of "composite drawing" around the area stephen?!"
"Why arent you "camped" in Terrace Hieghts which is suspiciously close to where you were FINALLY pulled over?!,,,,Stephen,,,,
" WHY DID YOU PULL INTO A "REST AREA" as the sherrif said "FOR WHATEVER REASON",,,,,"WHEN YOU ARE JUST "miles" FROM YOUR FINAL DESTINATION?!"
"what made you think a teenage thug was in need of help at that time of the morning, such a SHORT DISTANCE FROM TOWN?!,,,Stephen",,,,,,,,
i mean i know when my wife has to pee on the road, its a here and now kinda thing,,,,,,,,
but then if THAT was the case,,,,, why did he not tell that to the sherrif,,, why is it,,,
"they pulled into a rest area,, for whatever reason"?
as well as,,,,,
WE are completely BLOWN AWAY, that
Sheryl's 14 year old son,,, is riding around with Stephen, and not with a BLOOD family member. What kind of SCREWD up "child welfare" person thought THAT was a good idea,,,,,,,
EVEN THOUGH we werent close friends with Sheryl,,, no one deserves to go out with a mystery, ESPECIALLY when one has the answers and refuses to share them. That then turns it from a mystery, to a deception,,,,,,,,,,even WORSE !
Stephen has put the word around town about some "$10,000" reward that has been gathered by friends and family. Can anyone confirm or deny that statment as i'd like to bring light to it.
I've never lived in your area, but i have COMPLETE confidence in your law enforcment NOT SETTLING with Stephens story. THEY KNOW what this looks like, and i say again, i have COMPLETE faith in the law persuing the truth.
They have his local record from here and KNOW of his ,,um,,, recent problems and where his dedications lie.
there is a LARGE portion of this lil'town in the woods asking these same questions. When we asked our daughter why he returned here so quick, she tells us "it was because Sheryl's family was harrasing him." well DUH !!! who wouldnt push for answers. He's gotten pretty much the same here,,,,,,
From us, to those who did the harrasing,,, KUDO'S !
From us to those suffering on account of Stephen, we offer our understanding.
From us to those suffering from the loss of Sheryl, our prayers are offered DAILY for your comfort and support.
we agree, no "rest in peace" until the truth is told.
"God bless you Sheryl"
short update for those closly involved, my wife did infact have a meeting with Mr. Harwood. Out of respect for the investigation, we are not posting the answers she was givin, as they are convoluted and contrary in nature.
KOBYBOY1,,,,,,
i am giving here, permission for Mr.Mark Morey to give you and only you, my email address, if you are so interested in discussing this.
we believe it best to digress our expression on this, in this forum.
but before we go, we offer our gratitude for the "Truth Sayers" in this forum, and in your area.
"Love...does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth."
1 Corinthians 13:6
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