Four allegedly helped hide man suspected in Whatcom County murder last weekend
In addition to Friday’s arrest of the third man wanted for his suspected connection to a planned robbery that ended in the death of a woman in Acme over the weekend, the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office arrested four others for helping hide him.
The Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office announced in a release Friday, April 10, that it located Payton Thomas Mulryan, 25, hiding at a relative’s home in Maple Falls. Mulryan was taken into custody without incident and booked into Whatcom County Jail on suspicion of first-degree murder and and first-degree robbery.
Also booked into jail on suspicion of first-degree rendering criminal assistance on Friday were:
▪ Payton Mulryan’s sister Tiffany Marie Mulryan, 29.
▪ Cody Anderson Ternan, 35.
▪ Kimberly Ann Swendt, 28.
▪ Zackery William Harkness, 29.
Mulryan’s arrest comes a day after Tyler James O’Keefe, 23, was booked on suspicion of first-degree murder and first-degree robbery. Jail records show O’Keefe is being held in lieu of $500,000 bail. Deputies received a tip that O’Keefe was staying at a residence near Ferndale, watched him leave with a group of people and arrested him without incident after a traffic stop on Decatur Drive, according to the release.
Mulryan, O’Keefe and Brent Scott Gerber, 47 of Maple Falls, are suspected of being involved in the homicide of 21-year-old Darian D. Sather of Sedro Woolley.
Gerber was arrested Monday, April 6, by the sheriff’s office on suspicion of first-degree murder. Gerber is suspected of driving the vehicle that hit and killed Sather Saturday morning, April 4, at the South Fork Park in Acme, according to Whatcom County Superior Court records.
Gerber, who is being held in jail in lieu of $250,000 bail, was formally charged Tuesday, April 7, with first-degree murder and first-degree robbery, according to Whatcom County Prosecuting Attorney Eric Richey.
Aiding Mulryan
The sheriff’s office learned early Wednesday, April 9, that Payton Mulryan might be at home on Agate Bay Lane east of Bellingham, according to Whatcom County Superior Court documents. Deputies spoke to Harkness and Swendt there, and Harkness reportedly said he had not seen Payton Mulryan in several weeks.
Payton Mulryan was not located at that time by deputies, who warned Harkness and Swendt that they would be arrested if they attempted to aid Payton Mulryan, documents state.
Deputies learned on Thursday evening that Payton Mulryan might be at a trailer in Maple Falls, documents state, and that’s where he was located and taken into custody.
During further investigation, a witness reported seeing a silver BMW pull into the driveway and a woman and a man, later identified as Payton Mulryan, exit the car, according to documents.
While interviewing Payton Mulryan, Tiffany Mulryan and Ternan following their arrest, deputies learned that Payton Mulryan was hiding in the woods near the home on Agate Bay Lane while deputies were there speaking to Harkness and Swendt, documents state. He reportedly returned to the house, and Harkness and Swednt drove him to Maple Falls with Payton Mulryan hiding in the back seat, passing a deputy sitting on North Shore Drive on the way.
Deputies got a search warrant for the BMW to look for evidence that Payton Mulryan was in the back seat, documents state, and arrested Swendt and Harkness. Both admitted to driving Payton Mulryan to Maple Falls, according to documents, and Harkenss said he wanted to say goodbye to his sister before turning himself in.
Harkness also was booked on suspicion of resisting arrest.
