All in the family: Police arrest 2 Bellingham brothers at the same time for different crimes
Two brothers were arrested in Bellingham at the same place and same time but for different crimes.
The younger brother, 24-year-old Keoni M. Wilson, was arrested for first-degree assault after he nearly chopped someone’s hand off with a machete in an assault, police said.
The old brother, 26-year-old Keo M. Wilson, was arrested for burglary and retail theft with special circumstances, as he had been arrested for theft six times in the previous 180 days.
On Oct. 11, the victim of the assault told police he was at an illegal encampment on the property near the 200 block of east Stuart Road, behind the Walmart on the Guide Meridian. An investigation revealed the victim was there buying drugs from a woman who lives at the encampment, Bellingham Police Lt. Claudia Murphy said.
While the victim was waiting for the drugs, he was struck from behind by Keoni Wilson, who then took a swing at him with a machete, causing severe injuries to his right hand, according to police. Keoni strangely said something about the victim breaking his mother’s legs.
The investigation revealed the victim had a confrontation with Keoni’s mother, which led to him kicking her out of the apartment. While the mother told police at the time that she had been assaulted with a bat, an investigation did not develop probable cause for an arrest, Murphy said.
A day earlier on Oct. 10, police responded to a theft call at Hobby Lobby on the Guide Meridian, near the Walmart and illegal encampment. The store manager told police the male had also trespassed the week before and was stealing items. The male, who was identified as Keo Wilson through photographs, had stolen items from the store Oct. 4, and then returned on Oct. 10 to steal more items, police said.
On Oct. 17, police went to the illegal encampment to look for and arrest Keoni Wilson for the assault, but first found his brother Keo, who had outstanding warrants for his arrest. He was taken into custody without incident.
When Keo was on his way to jail, officers continued their search for Keoni, and eventually found him in a tent in the encampment. Keoni ignored police attempts to talk him out of the tent, even when negotiators were brought to the scene.
Eventually, officers obtained a warrant to search the tent and cut it open, taking Keoni into custody. Police found a sawed-off shotgun in the tent.
Keoni Wilson, who is a convicted felon, was arrested on suspicion of possession of an unlawful firearm and first-degree assault. He remains in custody at the Whatcom County Jail.
Keo Wilson was arrested for second-degree burglary and retail theft with special circumstances. He was taken to the Whatcom County Jail and has since bonded out.
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