In the fall of 1932, a dedicated 26-year-old White male Prohibition Agent named Ernest Vlasich was working undercover in Clark County, Washington. On September 29th, he and his partner, Agent Ballard Turner, embarked on a mission to purchase illicit moonshine from a man named Jesse Cousins at his residence, situated about 25 miles northeast of Vancouver. The agents successfully bought two gallons of the illegal whiskey, and upon completing the transaction, they identified themselves as federal officers and informed Cousins that he was under arrest.
Without any warning, the situation took a violent and tragic turn. Cousins suddenly produced a. 380 caliber pistol and opened fire on both agents. Agent Turner was struck twice in the heart and died instantly at the scene. Agent Vlasich was shot three times and sustained serious wounds. Despite his grave injuries, he was rushed to St. Joseph's Hospital in Vancouver for medical attention. Surgeons operated to remove two of the bullets, and for a time, there was hope for his recovery. However, after several weeks of fighting for his life, Ernest Vlasich succumbed to his injuries on October 14, 1932.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, a posse of law enforcement, including Prohibition Agents and deputies from the state and sheriff's office, was formed to hunt for Jesse Cousins. Known as an expert woodsman, Cousins managed to elude capture for two months by hiding in the dense woods of Clark County. Eventually, a tip led to his discovery in a cabin just four miles east of Vancouver, and he was taken into custody.
Jesse Cousins was brought to trial for the murders of the two agents. He was found guilty of first-degree murder and was sentenced to life imprisonment at the State Penitentiary in Walla Walla. He would later be transferred to the Fort Steilacoom Mental Hospital, which is now known as Western State Hospital, where he died on September 28, 1958.
