Second arrest made in 2018 home invasion
By Terry Murry on Friday, June 17th, 2022 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
KENNEWICK – Police announced Thursday an additional arrest has been made in connection to a targeted home invasion robbery on Oct. 26, 2018, in which Hunter Black, 18, was murdered. Black was killed inside his residence on the 400 block of South Yelm Street.
Additional developments in the case led detectives from the Kennewick Police Department from obtaining probable cause to arrest Wardell Eniko Joseph Braxton, 21, for first-degree murder. KPD detectives, working with the Benton County Prosecutor’s Office, learned Braxton was currently in the Benton County Jail for unrelated charges.
The initial investigation into Black’s death showed the crime was a targeted home invasion robbery completed by multiple suspects. Under Washington state law, the felony murder rule allows multiple participants in the commission of robbery in the first- and second-degree to be charged with first-degree murder when a homicide is committed against someone other than another participant.
KPD previously reported Lawrence Isaiah Groce, 23, was arrested for the alleged crime of first-degree murder.
This remains an active investigation.
