Charles Albion Austin, aged 51, was found dead on May 23, 2015, in his home in Belfair, WA. The discovery was made by concerned neighbors who went to check on him after not hearing from him for a while. Upon arrival, they found Austin deceased, and the authorities were promptly notified. The Mason County Sheriff's Office initiated a homicide investigation, which revealed that Austin had been shot.
Two suspects, Christopher Glen Redfern, 27, of Port Orchard, and Daniel Alan Dunn, 35, of
Belfair, were arrested in connection with Austin's death. According to the investigation, Dunn accused Austin of being a pedophile, which led to a confrontation. Dunn claimed that Austin lunged at him, prompting Dunn to shoot him in the head. After the shooting, Dunn and Redfern allegedly returned to Austin's residence the next day to steal items.
The investigation uncovered clues at the crime scene that led detectives to Dunn and Redfern. Both suspects were arrested and appeared in Superior Court, where Judge Toni Sheldon found probable cause to hold them. Dunn faced charges of first-degree murder, first-degree burglary, and theft of a firearm, while Redfern was initially charged with burglary and theft. The investigation also considered additional charges related to trafficking in stolen property.
The case highlighted the complexities of the investigation, as Dunn's statements and actions were scrutinized. Despite Dunn's claim that he acted in self-defense, no weapon was found on Austin, and there were no records of Austin being convicted of any sexual offenses. The legal proceedings continued as prosecutors prepared to file formal charges and the suspects awaited their arraignment.
: KIRO 7 News
: Kitsap Sun
: KOMO News
