Three men in Washington state were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 2017 murders of three family members over alleged drugs and money. Danie Kelly Jr., Robert Watson III, and Johnny Watson were found guilty of first-degree murder in the deaths of Christale Careaga, Hunter Schaap, Johnathon Higgins, and John Careaga. Each man received four life sentences, as well as additional time for attempted murder convictions and firearm enhancements. The victims were found dead in their burned home on the Kitsap Peninsula, and John Careaga’s remains were discovered inside a scorched truck at a tree farm. The killings were not believed to be related to the Bandidos motorcycle club, despite Robert Watson’s involvement.
Detectives revealed that John Careaga had been involved in the sale of cocaine from California in addition to owning a successful Mexican restaurant. Robert Watson was identified as a leader in a local chapter of the Bandidos and had purchased drugs from Careaga. The dispute between the two escalated until the day of the homicides. Authorities suspect that Careaga had hidden hundreds of thousands of dollars under his home, but the money was never recovered. Investigators found that over $300,000 had been deposited into Robert Watson’s accounts in 2017, with numerous cash deposits of unknown origin. Danie Kelly, who was associated with the Bandidos, had a falling out with Careaga before the murders.
During the trial, defense attorneys attempted to dispute the timeline and cellphone tracking used to follow the movements of the three men. They argued that there was no evidence of theft at the Careaga home. However, a neighbor reported hearing gunshots the day of the murders and saw John Careaga’s truck leaving the scene with Kelly behind the wheel and another car following closely. Relatives of the victims spoke in court about the pain inflicted on the blended family since their deaths. John Careaga was remembered as a loving father and uncle, Christale Careaga as a bright light, Johnathon Higgins as a big teddy bear, and Hunter Schaap as courageous for calling 911 during the break-in.
The sentencing brought closure to a tragic case that shocked the community and left many grieving. The victims’ family members expressed relief that justice had been served and that the perpetrators would spend the rest of their lives behind bars. The court documents revealed the complex web of relationships and motivations that led to the brutal murders. Despite the attempts by the defense to cast doubt on the evidence, the guilty verdict was a result of the overwhelming evidence presented by the prosecution. The community can now begin to heal and remember the lives lost in this senseless act of violence.
