Joseph Mark Lamar, a 38-year-old Caucasian male, was killed on July 15, 2016, in a rural home near Woodland, Washington. His life was cut short in a violent rampage that also claimed the lives of two others, Janell Renee Knight and Zachary David Thompson. A fourth victim, Breanne Leigh, was shot in the face but managed to survive by playing dead and then crawling away to seek help at a nearby convenience store.
The events unfolded on a Friday night when authorities were alerted to the
shooting by the wounded survivor. Upon arriving at the residence on Northwest 417th Street, a SWAT team discovered a grim scene. The bodies of Joseph Mark Lamar and Zachary David Thompson were found lying side by side in the gravel driveway, both having sustained gunshot wounds to the head. Inside the home, Janell Renee Knight was found deceased on the living room couch, also from an apparent gunshot wound to the head. Investigators found shell casings, believed to be from a. 45-caliber weapon, near the victims.
The ensuing manhunt for the suspect, Brent W. Luyster, 35, concluded the following afternoon when he was apprehended on Ocean Beach Highway, west of Longview. Luyster, a man with a lengthy and violent criminal history and known ties to white supremacist groups, was subsequently charged with three counts of aggravated first-degree murder, one count of attempted first-degree murder, and unlawful possession of a firearm. The motive for the killings was reportedly linked to Luyster's anger over pending felony charges from a separate case that he feared would result in a significant prison sentence.
In December 2017, a jury found Brent Luyster guilty on all counts. Despite maintaining his innocence in court, he was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole for the murders, in addition to 54 years for the attempted murder and firearm possession charges.
