In the quiet town of Port Angeles, Washington, a tragedy unfolded on January 12, 2017, forever altering the lives of the Darrow family. Clint Darrow, a 53-year-old Caucasian male, was found deceased in the home he shared with his son. An autopsy would later confirm he died from multiple gunshot wounds. The events of that day were set in motion by his own son, who contacted the authorities to report the homicide he had just committed.
The suspect in Clint Darrow's death was his
27-year-old son, Shay Clinton Darrow. Upon their arrival, law enforcement found Clint's body and Shay was arrested without incident a short time later in a nearby parking lot. The investigation that followed delved into a troubled history of mental illness. It was revealed that Shay had been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder and had ceased taking his prescribed medication in the period leading up to the shooting. Family members had reportedly been concerned about his access to a firearm in the weeks prior to the fatal incident.
During questioning, Shay Darrow admitted to shooting his father, telling investigators that he had been "fed up" and had been contemplating the act for a couple of days. The investigation indicated that Shay fired numerous rounds from a. 45-caliber semi-automatic pistol, at one point even retrieving more ammunition to continue the assault. He was initially charged with second-degree murder, but this was later upgraded to first-degree premeditated murder with a domestic violence firearm enhancement.
Shay Darrow's legal proceedings focused heavily on his mental state at the time of the killing. After a competency evaluation, he was found to have the capacity to understand the charges against him and assist in his own defense. However, his defense attorney pursued a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity. In October 2019, a judge ruled in favor of this plea, finding Shay not guilty of murder by reason of insanity. The court determined that due to his severe mental illness, he was acutely psychotic at the time of the shooting. As a result, Shay was committed to a state psychiatric hospital for an indefinite period, until he is no longer considered a danger to himself or others. Family members expressed their deep sorrow over the loss of Clint, a beloved father, son, and local business owner, while also acknowledging Shay's profound mental health struggles.
