If the brothers charged with murder in the Lynden shooting death of Jesse Winchester are caught, the Whatcom County Prosecutors Office plans to request that both are tried as adults.
Oscar Rodriguez, who was 15 at the time of the shooting, is facing charges of second-degree murder and first-degree assault for his involvement. Prosecutor Dave McEachran will request that he is tried as an adult in Whatcom County Superior Court, though a judge will have to decide to move the case out of the juvenile system.
Oscar and his brother, Salvador Rodriguez Jr., 21, are still being sought in the shooting death of Winchester, 22, who was killed during an attempted drug deal Nov. 22 at a house in Lynden, according to court documents.
His father, Jeremiah Winchester, was shot in the face during the incident, allegedly by Oscar Rodriguez.
Winchester called The Bellingham Herald Thursday morning, Dec. 8, and said that the shooting was not drug-related and that he was not at the house to buy drugs. He went through drug court after a 2009 offense and said that he has been drug free.
According to court documents, Jeremiah Winchester had a friend get hold of Salvador Rodriguez and tell him that Winchester wanted to buy heroin. The documents allege that Winchester actually intended to rob Rodriguez because of a previous incident.
On Thursday in his call to The Herald, Winchester said he felt many parts of the prosecutor's allegations were false. He offered to give his side of the story later in the day, but then he couldn't be reached for comment.
Police are still searching for the Rodriguez brothers, who may be in California, and anyone with information is encouraged to call the Lynden Police Department at 360-354-2828.
Andrew Medina, 31, who was with the Rodriguez brothers at the house and is also charged with second-degree murder, is listed in Snohomish County Jail on a parole violation. He was booked Nov. 30, according to the jail log.
Ashley Fischer, the 21-year-old accused of driving the Rodriguez brothers and Medina to and from the Lynden house, remained Thursday in Whatcom County Jail on murder, drug and rendering criminal assistance charges. She also drove the Rodriguez brothers to California after the shooting, according to court documents.
