On a tragic Friday in Kelso, Washington, the life of 74-year-old Candice J. "Candi" Beam, a White female, was cut short in a shocking act of violence that also claimed the life of her husband. On May 19, 2023, law enforcement responded to a domestic violence call involving a firearm at a residence on North 7th Avenue. Upon arrival, officers discovered a grim scene with three individuals deceased from gunshot wounds.
The investigation that followed painted a heartbreaking picture of a family tragedy. The Cowlitz County Coroner's Office later identified the deceased as Candice Beam, her 75-year-old husband, Mark Beam, and their 29-year-old grandson, Isaac Beam. The official cause of death for Candice was determined to be multiple gunshot wounds, and her death was ruled a homicide. Similarly, her husband's death was also classified as a homicide.
Authorities concluded that the incident was a murder-suicide. Investigators determined that Isaac Beam shot and killed his grandparents before turning the gun on himself. The coroner's report confirmed that Isaac Beam's death was a suicide resulting from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. As the sole suspect in the double homicide, Isaac's death brought an end to the immediate investigation, with no further arrests made or suspects sought in connection with the case. Detectives are still working to understand the motive and the contributing factors that led to this devastating outcome.
