DEC. 3 UPDATE: Remembering Steve Bushaw... Suspects are charged
All four defendants have been arrested and are in custody. An arraignment date will be scheduled in the next few days. Click on image for SLIDES of Count 1 and Count 2.
Wed, 02/11/2009
In our Feb. 13, 2009 piece below we reported on Steve Bushaw, who was murdered outside Talarico's Lounge Feb. 1. Dan Donohoe, Press Secretary, King County Prosecuting Attorney's office, announced the arrest of the murder suspects:
Suspects Bryce Huber, 27; Brandon Chaney, 30; Danny O’Neal Jr., 28; and John Sylve, 32, were all arrested and charged in the King County Superior Court with First-Degree Murder and Conspiracy to Commit First-Degree Murder. Suspect Sylve was arrested early morning on December 1st in San Antonio, Texas, with the assistance of several agencies, including the U.S. Marshal’s Lone Star Fugitive Task Force. The other three suspects were arrested later on Dec. 1 in the Seattle area.
This is an active and on-going homicide investigation as detectives continue to receive new information and follow up on leads.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to call either 911 or the Seattle Police Homicide Unit at 206 684-5550. Those wishing to remain anonymous are encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800 222-TIPS (8477) or send a text to CRIMES (274637). Your text message should include “TIP486” to ensure proper routing. If a tip leads to an arrest and the filing of charges, callers may qualify for a cash reward of up to $1000. Calls are taken 24 hours a day.
CLICK ON IMAGE FOR SLIDES OF COUNT 1 & 2
Click on the attached PDF for the full court document and police report on the crime.
Here is our Feb. 13 story:
In a fatal shooting on Feb. 1, the West Seattle community lost Steve Bushaw, a young man that friends describe as both funny and extremely caring.
“He was a joy to have around,” says Jay Sherwood, one of Bushaw’s best friends. “He brought energy to any situation he was in.”
Many who knew Bushaw described him as a very humorous, goofy person.
“He was always clowning around and doing what he could to make people laugh,” said friend Anthony Contreras. “ There was never a dull moment with him.”
Still, others mentioned how respectful Bushaw was. Linda Rhoton says he daughter was friends with Bushaw and remembers Bushaw spending a lot of time at her home.
“He was the one that would pitch in and help out around the house,” says Rhoton. She says that Bushaw even organized dinners for her to show his appreciation.
“He just always touched my heart,” says Rhoton.
Sherwood says that Bushaw truly loved his family, and that he was the only guy who would ever leave a party early to go home and hang out with his parents. He added that the 26-year-old wanted to try and help his family out financially in the future.
ReNae Schwartz, Bushaw’s cousin, remembers how proud he was of his family and how much he loved his parents, sister and niece.
Growing up in West Seattle, Bushaw attended Hope Lutheran School and later West Seattle High School.
Many recall watching Bushaw play soccer during high school.
“I remember sitting in the stands with his mother and seeing how proud she was of her son,” says Teressa Keenehan, who watched Bushaw play the sport with her two sons. “I was amazed as I watched him run down the field with his crazy moves, constantly making it all the way down the field to shoot the ball in with his left foot and make the goal!”
“He’s the best player I’ve ever played on a team with,” says Contreras, who was a goalie on Bushaw’s team. “I dreaded going up against him every day because he had the hardest shot in the metro league.”
More recently, Sherwood says Bushaw liked to spend time outdoors camping, riding dirt bikes or barbequing with friends. The two of them also spent much of their time snowboarding.
Just before his death, friends say that Bushaw was determined to join the International Longshore and Warehouse Union. Sherwood says that Bushaw had plans to try and improve the union once he got in.
“He was very passionate about it,” says Sherwood.
On Feb. 8 Talarico’s Pizzeria hosted a benefit for Bushaw’s family. With the restaurant quickly filled to capacity, it was clear how many people Bushaw impacted during his short life.
“To say that he was a great man is an understatement. He had a great heart and he loved people so much. I’ve never met anyone that touched people the way he did,” says Contreras. “They’ll never be another like him.”
At the time this paper went to press, the police investigation into Steve Bushaw’s death was still open and suspects remained at large.