Lynden man arrested after allegedly beating an Everett man, leaving him to die

A 40-year-old Whatcom County man was arrested Monday after allegedly assaulting his father’s friend in downtown Everett in September, leading to the man’s death.

Kyle Randall Wheeler of Lynden was arrested by the Everett Police Department Monday afternoon on suspicion of first-degree manslaughter for the death of 52-year-old Charles P. Hatem, of Everett, according to Snohomish County Superior Court documents and an Everett police press release.

Officers found Hatem dead in a fifth-floor hallway of the Commerce Building at 1803 Hewitt Ave on Sept. 9. An investigation revealed Hatem had been assaulted multiple times, strangled, had a broken bone in his neck, and his brain had swelled, according to court records.

Hatem died hours later due to the extent of his injuries and lack of medical attention, the records state.

On Sept. 9, Everett police officers went to Commerce Building to check out a report of a dead man in the hallway. The man, later identified as Hatem, had injuries to his lip and forehead and there were large blood stains on a blanket nearby and beneath his head. Hatem’s death was ruled a homicide by the Snohomish County Medical Examiner.

Officers learned Hatem had been living with Wheeler’s father in a nearby unit, where they found Wheeler, his father and another person all passed out or asleep inside.

Wheeler’s father was friends with Hatem and was letting him stay at his apartment, court records state, but Wheeler was upset because he believed Hatem was taking advantage of his father and wasn’t paying any expenses, records show.

Wheeler, his father and another person had been drinking at a bar earlier that night before returning to the apartment. Wheeler and Hatem argued over the living situation, and witnesses say Wheeler hit Hatem at least three times, according to court records. Wheeler then dragged Hatem into the hallway, records state.

During that same time, neighbors told officers, they heard loud arguing and a crashing noise, records state.

Prior to that argument, Wheeler told his father Hatem had got upset and Wheeler had held him down on a bed by his neck until he calmed down, which could explain the broken bone in Hatem’s neck, records state.

After Hatem was left in the hallway, Wheeler went to two other bars where witnesses heard him “bragging that he was just released from jail and was going to be charged with murder,” according to court records.

Officers found blood in several spots in the apartment, including on the fridge, on a plastic tote and the carpet, records state.

When officers spoke with Wheeler, he had blood on the front of his shirt, on his front and back shoulder and a right front pant pocket, the records state. He also had a small cut to one of his hands and a wound on his back, records state.

Wheeler was brought to the police station to be questioned, but immediately requested an attorney and declined to speak with officers about the incident.

Wheeler did say that he had pulled Hatem into the hallway, and later checked his pulse twice and saw he was foaming at the mouth, but didn’t call for aid, records state.

Wheeler was released, pending the results of Hatem’s autopsy.

On Nov. 7, officers called Wheeler to persuade him to turn himself in. When asked about hitting Hatem, Wheeler allegedly said it was in self-defense, but offered no further explanation, records state.

Wheeler has previous convictions in Whatcom County for assault and malicious mischief. He also has various domestic violence protection orders against him, most of which were later dismissed, according to Whatcom County Superior Court records. In August of this year, a felony harassment case against Wheeler was also dismissed, according to court records.