Bail set at $1 million for man accused of shooting, killing woman in stairwell at 22 North
Bail has been set at $1 million for the man suspected in the early February murder of a woman in the stairwell of the 22 North apartment complex in downtown Bellingham.
Shilo Aaron Englert, 33, of Bellingham was charged Feb. 11 in Whatcom County Superior Court with one count of second-degree murder for the Feb. 8 death of 31-year-old Kasaundra Booker.
Englert was arrested Sunday, Feb. 20, by the Bellingham Police Department’s SWAT team in the 1400 block of Moore Street. Bellingham police had received a credible tip of where Englert was hiding and they had Englert in custody within one hour of arriving Sunday, according to previous reporting in The Bellingham Herald.
Englert’s public defense attorney, Peter Ramey, didn’t make an argument for bail at Englert’s first appearance hearing in court Tuesday afternoon.
Ramey did argue against a motion made by the Whatcom County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for Englert to surrender any firearms or weapons in his possession. Ramey said because Englert is a convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing firearms, and because he’s accused of using a firearm to murder Booker, it would violate his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.
Whatcom County Superior Court Commissioner Ann Vetter-Hansen ordered Englert’s bail to be set at $1 million because he “presents a substantial danger to commit a violent offense,” and that he had a likelihood of not appearing in court due to his history of failing to appear for court hearings.
Vetter-Hansen did not order a surrender of weapons Tuesday, which she said is “consistent with the policy of the Whatcom Superior Court bench.”
Englert’s arraignment is scheduled for March 4.
Booker’s body was found in a first-floor stairwell at 22 North, a 40-unit apartment complex on North State Street for young adults experiencing homelessness operated by the Opportunity Council and Northwest Youth Services.
Booker was found with a gunshot wound to her head and a bullet of unknown caliber was found at the scene. No handgun was located, according to court documents.
Bellingham police were called to 22 North shortly before 9:30 p.m. on Feb. 8 after Booker’s body was found in the stairwell.
Surveillance video reviewed by detectives showed that a man, later identified as Englert, arrived at the building at 8:25 p.m. in a beige Lexus sedan with distinctive body damage to the hood. Englert parked in front of the building, got out of the Lexus and spoke to Booker on the sidewalk in front of 22 North, court records state.
Three minutes later, an unidentified woman who was inside the Lexus, got out and physically assaulted Booker. The woman put Booker in a headlock and punched her various times. The woman then got back into the front passenger seat of Englert’s vehicle, according to court records.
Around 8:34 p.m., Englert, Booker and a female witness entered the first-floor stairwell where the witness told police that the three of them smoked “blues,” or fentanyl pills. Englert then began consoling Booker and hugging her, court records show.
The witness then left Englert and Booker alone in the stairwell at 8:42 p.m., believing that the two were going to be intimate, records state.
Around 8:53 p.m., Booker exited the stairwell and walked toward the front door. Booker was seen raising her hands up and down and appearing to look in the direction of the Lexus. Booker then went back into the stairwell, and nobody else was seen entering it after her, the records state.
Twenty-five minutes later, at 9:18 p.m., Englert walked to the second-floor landing of 22 North and exited into the alley behind the building. He was seen with his hands in his pockets and using a sleeve to cover his hand to push open the door in what police believe was an attempt to keep from leaving fingerprints or DNA at the scene, according to the records. Englert walked the alley to East Laurel Street and then walked west and north again along North State Street before getting into the Lexus and driving away from 22 North, court records state.
At 9:28 p.m., another witness entered the stairwell, found Booker’s body and called 911, the records show.
Charges were filed against Englert and a warrant was issued for his arrest Feb. 11.
Whatcom County Superior Court records show Englert was already facing charges of possession of a stolen vehicle, obstructing law enforcement and hit and run from a Jan. 18 incident in which he allegedly drove a stolen car over a retaining wall and then ran away.
