Vaughn S. Hagen, a 70-year-old White male, was fatally shot on August 6, 2025, in Custer, Washington. A well-known and recently retired certified public accountant from Bellingham, Hagen was at the Custer residence of Donald Edward Malone, 61, in his capacity as the executor of Malone's late mother's estate. Hagen, who had also been his mother's accountant, had rented a U-Haul van to assist Malone in cleaning out the garage of the home, which was being prepared for sale.
Earlier on the
day of the incident, Hagen encountered Malone at the Birch Bay Square Shopping Center and offered him a ride back to the property so they could begin clearing the garage. Malone, who had been living in his deceased parents' house, reportedly expressed a dislike for Hagen. To avoid him, Malone told Hagen he needed a minute to buy groceries, but then left the store and rode his bicycle home via back roads. A short time after Malone arrived, Hagen pulled into the driveway in the U-Haul.
Seeing Hagen's arrival, Malone allegedly retrieved a handgun from his bedroom. He then went outside and, without any verbal exchange, shot Hagen multiple times. According to later court testimony, Hagen's last words were 'Donald, no.' After the shooting, Malone waited on his porch for law enforcement to be summoned by neighbors, but no one arrived. As evening approached, he moved Hagen's body into the garage, reportedly to protect it from animals, before going to bed.
The following morning, August 7, 2025, finding that police had not been alerted, Malone took a bus to the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office in Bellingham and confessed to the shooting. Deputies were dispatched to the Custer residence, where they discovered Hagen's body in the garage. Malone was arrested and subsequently charged with first-degree premeditated murder. When questioned about his motive, Malone simply stated, 'I don't like him.' Donald Edward Malone was booked into the Whatcom County Jail, with bail set at $2 million. He later pleaded not guilty to the charges.
