On a late winter evening in Graham, Washington, the life of 25-year-old Danny Luke Joshua Stanley was tragically cut short. On March 6, 2022, what began as a night out at a local bar ended in a fatal confrontation in the parking lot. Danny, a resident of Snoqualmie, was with friends when an argument broke out with another man, Alec Ausbun, who was 24 at the time.
The dispute reportedly began when Ausbun and a friend, both intoxicated, were causing a disturbance.
After being asked to leave the bar, the pair were in the parking lot arguing about who would drive when Danny and others intervened, suggesting they go home. The verbal altercation escalated, and Ausbun retrieved a handgun from his friend's vehicle. As Danny ran down an alley to get away from the escalating situation, Ausbun fired at least three shots in his direction from a distance of about 180 feet, striking him once in the head. Danny was pronounced dead at the scene.
In the immediate aftermath, Ausbun fled the scene on an ATV he had taken from the back of the truck. Pierce County Sheriff's deputies, responding to 911 calls, utilized a thermal imaging device to locate him in a nearby field. He was arrested and booked into the Pierce County Jail for first-degree murder. An ATF K-9 team later assisted in finding the gun used in the shooting.
Alec Ausbun was initially charged with first-degree and second-degree murder, with bail set at $1 million. A plea of not guilty was entered on his behalf. Later, his bail was reduced, and he was released on home monitoring. Ultimately, Ausbun pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. At his sentencing, he expressed remorse, stating that it was not his intent to take a life. In April 2025, a judge sentenced him to 15 years in prison, which included a firearm-sentencing enhancement.
