The Thurston County Prosecutor’s Office filed multiple additional charges against Shane Brewer, the man accused of shooting and killing Loren VerValen in Southern Thurston County late last year.
Brewer, 32, is now facing a total of 16 felony charges in the slaying, in which he is accused of killing VerValen and taking his vehicle. The newest charges include first-degree burglary, first-degree possession of stolen property, second-degree malicious mischief and three counts of theft of a firearm.
The new charges were filed May 7 and are in addition to the counts that were originally filed against him, which included first-degree murder while armed with a deadly weapon, or in the alternative second-degree murder while armed with a deadly weapon, theft of a motor vehicle while armed with a deadly weapon, first-degree robbery while armed with a deadly weapon, three counts of first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm and three counts of first-degree possession of a stolen firearm.
He’s being held in the Thurston County Jail on $1 million bail.
Brewer told deputies that he was “set up” when they took him into custody Dec. 28, according to court documents. That came after Brewer was tracked down by Thurston County K-9 Dexter, as he hid in a blueberry patch in a wooded area.
Brewer became person of interest in the shooting after deputies executed a search warrant on his residence, where they reported finding a vehicle stolen from VerValen’s residence. VerValen, 45, had been killed by three bullets from a .223 caliber rifle. That same caliber of gun was found during the ensuing investigation to link Brewer to the shooting. Two additional guns were recovered — all of them being stolen during a burglary at Olympia’s Big 5 on Dec. 21.
They also uncovered VerValen’s wallet and a duffle bag holding “large amounts of ammunition.”
Brewer currently has a trial confirmation hearing set for Sept. 5 and a jury trial slated to begin Sept. 16.
