Reward offered for info in mysterious murder of Washington family

A desperate call for help from a dying 16-year-old boy. Tragically cops would come too late to save the teen and his family, including his half-brother and stepmother. All three were shot dead in their own home in Seabeck, Washington on Friday, January 27, 2017.

Did the horrible bloodbath have its origins in a mysterious meeting caught on grainy video in a store parking lot? Just days after the killing spree, cops located the pickup truck seen on video. The truck was found burned out, hiding a dead body inside. Cops wondered, Was the man inside the intended target in a shocking quadruple murder?

Hunter Schapp, 16, called 911. His voice was filled with terror as he pleaded for help. Cops released the horrifying call, hoping it would spark leads from the public. The 48-second-long call comes to an abrupt end. Minutes after the call goes dead, cops pull into the driveway.

Inside they found the bodies of Hunter, his half-brother Johnathon Higgins, 16, and stepmother Christale Lynn Careaga, 43.

Two days later, when the barely recognizable body was found inside the scorched pickup about 15 miles from the home, cops soon identify the victim as John Careaga, the boys' father. Investigators had no idea why someone wanted him and his entire family dead.

Desperate to find answers, and a killer, cops release grainy surveillance video featuring images of John Careaga in the parking lot of the Camp Union grocery store in Seabeck, Washington, not far from his house, recorded two and a half hours before his family 's murder.

Kitsap County Sheriff's Lieutenant Jon VanGesen says Careaga met with someone in an unidentified car.

"We know that Johnny's truck pulled up next to it and they parked next to each other for several minutes," said VanGesen.

Store clerks say Careaga was in good spirits that night when he came in to buy cigarettes. After the mysterious meeting he drove away and was never heard from again.

"Then this unidentified vehicle pulled out after Johnny had left and pulled into the neighboring church parking lot," said VanGesen.

Two days later, John Careaga's body was found.

Lieutenant Earl Smith believes the husband and father was the killer's intended target that weekend.

"I think that they probably had more of an interest in Johnny, only because he was found at a different location.," said Lt. Smith.

But investigators are still trying to piece the puzzle together with even more surveillance tape. They say a man seen on a Target store camera is a person of interest.

"We want people to really focus on the gait of this gentleman's walk on the videos, but also his clothing attire," said Detective Lissa Gundrum.

"He appears to have tattoos on his face, possibly on his neck," said Det. Gundrum.

Those tattoos made it difficult for him to hide.

"We identify the person in the video as Danie Kelly Junior, age 39, of Bremerton," said Lt. VanGesen.

Investigators say there is evidence of a connection between Kelly and the Careaga family, but won't say what that is.

Det. Gundrum says Kelly has not been cooperative. They hope naming him publicly will generate new leads.

"Anyone who recalls speaking to this individual in the store, in the parking lot, or any other time even around the time of the homicides and knows this individual, to contact us," said Gundrum.

"We also want to speak to his close associates because we believe they have information about his activities and the activities of those close to him," said VanGesen.

Danie Kelly Jr. has not been charged in connection with the case, nor has he been named a suspect. Detectives say he's not their only person of interest, but they declined to identify any others.

So far nothing in John Careaga's past explains why someone would want him dead.

Court documents obtained by the Kitsap Sun newspaper show that the night his family was killed, cops found about $60,000 in cash in Careaga's bedroom, and 33 mature marijuana plants and 10 grow lights in his garage. None of it, however, can be connected to the killings.

"If you know information about Johnny, good or bad, we would ask that you call the sheriff's office and talk with us about what you know," said Lt. VanGesen.