Two people facing murder charges in connection with the fatal shooting of Clark County sheriff’s Detective Jeremy Brown were arraigned Friday in Superior Court.
Abran Raya Leon, 28, the alleged getaway driver, entered not-guilty pleas to second-degree murder, possession of a stolen firearm and second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm. His trial is scheduled for April 18.
His brother, Guillermo Raya Leon, 26, is accused of shooting Brown on the evening of July 23 as Brown conducted surveillance in an unmarked Jeep SUV at an east Vancouver apartment complex. Guillermo Raya Leon pleaded not guilty earlier this month to first-degree aggravated murder and possession of a stolen firearm. His trial is also set for April 18.
The brothers are not being tried jointly, however.
Police from several agencies were watching the brothers and Abran Raya Leon’s wife, Misty Raya, as part of an investigation into stolen firearms, court records say.
Misty Raya’s friend, Lani Rene Kraabell, 48, who is accused of facilitating the sale of some of the stolen firearms, also entered not-guilty pleas Friday to second-degree murder, four counts of possession of a stolen firearm and second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm. Her trial is scheduled for March 21.
Investigators say Misty Raya, 35, broke into a Hazel Dell storage unit in early June and stole a cache of about 30 firearms and 20,000 to 30,000 rounds of ammunition. She pleaded not guilty last month to burglary, identity theft and 32 counts of firearm theft. Her trial is scheduled for March 7.
Clark County Prosecutor Tony Golik previously said Kraabell was the “linchpin” to the stolen firearms trafficking and that she continued to try to sell them after Brown was killed. He also said Abran Raya Leon was helping to sell the stolen firearms when his brother shot Brown.
After the shooting, Abran Raya Leon drove his wife and brother away from the apartment complex in a Toyota SUV and evaded pursuing police. The SUV was found crashed and abandoned near Interstate 205 and Padden Parkway, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Police found and arrested Abran Raya Leon and his wife later that night in the backyard of an unoccupied house in the 8700 block of Northeast 76th Avenue. Officers also located there the stolen revolver they believe Guillermo Raya Leon used to shoot Brown in the chest, court records say. Guillermo Raya Leon was later arrested in Salem, Ore.
Two others, Stephen Harley Iverson, 53, and Charles Alfred Cooper Jr., 45, are facing trafficking charges for allegedly helping Kraabell and Misty Raya sell some of the stolen firearms. They both entered not-guilty pleas last month.
