On a tragic Tuesday in the small town of Hoodsport, Washington, the life of 46-year-old Jason Hilde was violently cut short. On March 24, 2026, Hilde and a female companion, 46-year-old Anna Child, were found deceased inside a residence from gunshot wounds. The incident, which has been described as being connected to domestic violence, shattered the peace of the quiet community.
Events unfolded at a home on Hamma Hamma Drive, where a neighbor reported hearing shotgun blasts and
discovered the gruesome scene. When Mason County Sheriff's deputies arrived, they found Jason Hilde near the front door with a gunshot wound to his head. Anna Child was located on a stairway, also having sustained gunshot injuries. A shotgun and spent shells were recovered from the residence.
The suspect in the double homicide was quickly identified as 60-year-old Robert T. Child, the estranged husband of Anna Child. A manhunt ensued, and Child was apprehended the following day at a gas station outside of Shelton after a tip from the public. Prior to the killings, Anna Child had sought and been granted a protection order against her husband, citing that she did not feel safe and that he had told her, "If he can't have me, no one will." Tragically, the protection order had not yet been served to Robert Child at the time of the murders.
Robert T. Child was subsequently charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of first-degree burglary. He entered a plea of not guilty to the charges. Bail for the accused was set at $5 million. Friends and family of the victims described Anna as a joyful and amazing person, while Hilde's ex-wife remembered him as a loving father and a loyal friend.
