warning: Graphic content, readers’ discretion advised. This story contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some readers discretion advised.
This is 76-year-old war veteran Wayne Mahar. Police were called to his trailer after a neighbor reported gunfire, only to find a man dead outside his property.
Wayne is claiming that he acted in self-defense, but his recounting of the events raises concerns for detectives.
But despite all the evidence pointing at him, Wayne would not face any charges and walk free…
Because someone was hiding a truth that changed everything.
On October 4th, in the afternoon, police was called to a trailer park in Blaine, Washington after reports of gunfire.
They arrived quickly , heavily armed but anaware they were approaching home of a former officer.
As officers cautiously approach and detain Wayne.
others detain his wife Sandra Mahar , who would later provide crucial information about what led to the shooting.
but for now,officers focus on the victim lying on the grass checking for signs of life…
As the officers performed CPR on the unidentified victim while waiting for medics, it soon became clear it was already too late to save him.
With the scene secured and the victim confirmed dead, police sit Wayne down for an interview,he claimed he was attacked first ,but his refusal to give clear details mad it seem as if he was holding something back.
Wayne doesn’t seem to grasp the weight of his actions, he praises the shotgun he used to kill his neighbor , showing a clear disconnect between the gravity of the situation and his own perception.
Detectives don’t realize it yet,but this detachment will ultimately lead to Wayne walking free.
For now, though, officers continued their attempt getting more details only to get more shocking answers.
As Wayne struggled to answer questions, his shifting stories and inability to explaine how his neigbhor posed an immediate threat cawst further doubt on his claim of self- defense and raised the possibility that the shooting was intentional.
But Wayne’s behavior didn’t come across as malicious or deceptive and to officers, something wasn’t adding up.
And that’s when he would mention something very interesting.
Wayne says that he once served as a police officer
and fought in Vietnam War as a US Air Force soldier.
At first , it seems like a minor detail,but this background and the impact it had on him would prove crucial in understanding the events that unfolded.
Back at the scene, the victim was soon identified as 66 year old Vincent Reames who lived alone in the trailer park.
Wih no one in Vince’s household to question , officers instead turned to Wayne’s wife,sandra,hoping she could provide new insight into what could have happened.
And it was through her account, along with what they would later learn about the deceased victim that the possibility of self-defense was reconsidered.
With Sandra’s statement,the case became far more open- ended than it first appeared.
She explained that Wayne struggled with PTSD, which can cause someone to misinterpret danger and overreact.
But she also claimed that Vincent had threatened to kill both of them and showed a pattern of hostility towards them for years.
In which case Wayne’s use of self- defense might have been justified.
Still ,there were serious inconsistencies, Sandra claimed Vincent was standing on Wayne’s porch when the shot was fired, but his body was actually found beside the house.
Had he been on the porch, it could have looked like he was threatening Wayne, supporting a claim of self- defense,but being further away suggested he posed no immediate danger,making it appear more like a deliberate killing.
Wayne was then transported to the police station for a formal interrogation to hopefully clear anything up and finally learn the truth behind what had happened.
And it was there that officers would begin to piece everything together.
Realizing they had overlooked the most important detail of the case,one that would make Wayne look guilty at first, but lead him to somehow walking free.
as the detective tries to establish a timeline of events, Wayne’s answers are vague, off -topic, and at times disconnected.
Making it unclear whether he’s deliberately avoiding the truth or if something else is at play.
Either way,it was only the beginning of an interrogation that wouldgrow more complicated with every statements.
As Wayne casually shifted from describing the attack to blankly starring at the officers while drumming his fingers on the table ,it became clear he wasn’t just being evasive,his behavor pointed to possible cognitive issues.
These issuess would slowly become even more apparent as the interrogation went on with his composure utlimately breaking and his demeanor turning aggressiv.
But forthe moment, just as things were beginning to look bad for Wayne, he would make a claim that directed serious allegations towards Vincent.
Allegations that could tip the scales in Wayne’s favor.
Wayne’s accusations Vincent,backed by Vincent’s long criminal record,briefly made his self-.defense claims seem plausible.
Vincent’s past included drug offenses and violent behavior,details that gave some weight to Wayne’s story.
But just as he had something working in his favor he would undermine it again with his own statements.
with those statements Wayne only incriminated himself further , offering nothing that supported his claim of self- defense.
In one last attempt to break through,detectives pushed him harder, and what followed made it clear-
They weren’t just dealing with a suspect,but with a failing mind.
With that , interrogation ended . Later examinatins confirmed that in addition to PTSD and history of strokes, Wayne also suffered from dementia, a condition that explained both his confusion and aggression.
Forensic analysis showed that Vincent had been shot from about 30 ft away, consistent with his body being found beside his own house.
This suggested Wayne fired from his porch while Vincent was still outside.
For years, Vincent had reportedly bullied Wayne, creating a constant source of conflict between the two men .
Combine with Wayne’s background in the military and law enforcement ,where he had been trained to react quickly to potential threats.
His cognitive decline caused him to respond as if Vincent was in immediate danger.believing he was under serious threat,he went back inside ,grabbed his shotgun, and fired.
It wan’t driven by malice,in his mind,he didn’t fully grasp the wrongfulness of his actions, in the end , Wayne was declared unfit for trial , sent for treatment, and ultimately released under supervision.