In a Puyallup, Washington home on the evening of March 25, 2018, a gathering of cousins would end in a tragedy that claimed the life of 23-year-old male, Samuel Boren. He was with his 27-year-old cousin, Robert M. Reynolds, and another friend. The three had spent time together, smoking an oil-infused joint and wrestling in the backyard before going inside.
What began as a casual day took a dark and irreversible turn within the walls of the house on 97th Avenue Court East.
An argument erupted between the cousins after they went into a bathroom to wash their feet. The conflict escalated when they moved downstairs and Reynolds retrieved a pistol. A sense of fear fell over the scene as Reynolds, in a state of apparent paranoia, told the friend to get behind him, claiming Boren was there to cause harm. He began speaking about the devil trying to possess his cousin's body. Reynolds ordered Boren to get on his knees, but when Boren instead rushed at him, Reynolds opened fire, wounding him. A struggle for the gun ensued, and more shots were fired as they moved through the house.
Even after being shot, Boren was still alive and pleaded to be taken to a hospital. As he tried to get up and move towards his cousin, Reynolds shot him again, this time unloading the magazine and inflicting what would be a total of eleven gunshot wounds. For about two hours after the shooting, Reynolds remained in the house with the witness. He eventually called a family member, who convinced him to contact the authorities. Reynolds himself then called 911, initially claiming he had shot his cousin in self-defense. When Pierce County Sheriff's deputies arrived, they found a large amount of blood and signs that a body had been dragged; Boren's body had been moved to the laundry room.
Robert M. Reynolds was arrested at the scene. As he was being detained, he made a statement to deputies, saying, “I know I'm a killer, but I don't feel like a murderer.” He was charged with first-degree murder. Investigators learned that Reynolds had consumed not only potent cannabis but also nitrous oxide and psilocybin mushroom tea on the day of the killing. His defense argued that his mental health struggles were severely exacerbated by the voluntary drug use. Reynolds ultimately pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and second-degree assault. He expressed remorse in court, stating he was consumed by paranoid delusions. He was sentenced to 23 years in prison for the death of his cousin, a man who was described as one of his very few friends.
