Court records detail dispute that led to stabbing, Whatcom man sought for attempted murder
The Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in locating a Maple Falls man who is wanted for first-degree attempted murder for allegedly stabbing a man who allegedly abused a child.
The sheriff’s office has a warrant for the arrest of 24-year-old Pavel Eduard Vasilchenko, according to a Monday, July 12, news release from the sheriff’s office. Vasilchenko has been charged with first-degree attempted murder in Whatcom County Superior Court.
Vasilchenko is believed to be in the Maple Falls or Kendall area of Whatcom County and is driving either a black spray-painted VW Passat or Jetta, or a black Nissan Pathfinder, according to the sheriff’s press release.
Vasilchenko is described as a 6-foot white man, with blue eyes, red hair and a tattoo of a cross on his right arm. He may have shorter hair than the photo the sheriff’s office released, the news release said.
The sheriff’s office says there is no reason to believe he is a threat to the community.
If Vasilchenko is seen or you know his whereabouts, people are asked to call the sheriff’s detectives hotline at 360-778-6663.
The attempted murder
Vasilchenko is wanted for attempted murder for allegedly stabbing a man several times early on Sunday, July 11, according to court records.
A second man, Donald Kelly Siguaw, also was arrested in connection with the incident, court and jail records show. Siguaw was arrested July 11 on suspicion of felony harassment.
Shortly after 6:30 a.m. on July 11, Whatcom County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the Kendall Fire Department in Maple Falls for the report of a stabbing. The victim was wounded several times in his upper arm and shoulder and taken to the emergency room at St. Joseph’s hospital before deputies arrived.
The victim was treated and later released, said a hospital spokesperson.
The victim’s girlfriend told deputies that Siguaw was threatening and harassing the victim. The woman said Siguaw believed the victim assaulted a child known to Siguaw and the woman, court records state.
The day before the woman and the victim went to Maple Falls to help a friend clean up some property at 6100 block of Hawthorne Place that shares a common property line with Siguaw’s land.
The woman told deputies that on Saturday night, Siguaw was sitting on the roof of his home and was yelling at the victim who was next door, according to court records.
Siguaw allegedly told the victim to leave, “calling him a child beater,” and said he “will be dead today,” court records show.
The victim’s girlfriend was told by a friend that Siguaw allegedly sent out “a horrific message” to several people claiming the victim abused a child. The victim’s girlfriend also was told someone may be coming to harm her and her boyfriend, so the pair left to get breakfast and a hotel room in Sumas, the court records state.
When the victim and his girlfriend returned to the Hawthorne Place property, Vasilchenko told them they needed to leave. A short time later, Vasilchenko returned and allegedly stabbed the man, court records show.
Vasilchenko is reportedly friends with Siguaw, the records state.
During an interview with detectives, Siguaw allegedly admitted to sitting on his roof and yelling at the couple. He said the pair were threatening him, and denied knowing that Vasilchenko stabbed the man.
Siguaw said he asked Vasilchenko to come to his house for protection from the people at the Hawthorne Place property, court records state.
A witness confirmed that Siguaw was yelling at the victim and his girlfriend.
Another witness showed deputies the message Siguaw allegedly sent about the victim abusing a child.
The witness allegedly told Siguaw that she would “assist in getting this person out of the area by any means necessary,” and that “this was a time when a person should be allowed to be judge and jury without repercussion,” the court records state.
The witness told deputies that several other people received Siguaw’s message and had similar feelings, the records show.
Another witness who spoke with a detective at the Kendall Fire Department said she also received the message from Siguaw and that the victim “deserved to get stabbed and made a point of coming to the fire hall to tell deputies this,” court records state.
Vasilchenko’s mother, who also received Siguaw’s message, said what the victim allegedly did to a child was “well known in the Maple Falls ‘grapevine’,” the records show.
This story was originally published July 12, 2021 at 4:55 PM.
