A 67-year-old man in Thurston County, Washington, has been arrested in connection with a homicide investigation after a body was found with suspicious injuries. The case has raised many questions, especially because the suspect has not been directly accused of the killing, but of trying to cover it up.
Bail Set in Suspicious Death Case in Thurston County
James Wade Brady appeared in Thurston County Superior Court on Wednesday, where Judge Allyson Zipp set his bail at ₹50,000 (approx. ₹41 lakh). He was arrested for two main reasons: unlawfully disposing of human remains and illegal possession of a firearm. While the investigation is treating the incident as a possible murder, Brady hasn’t been officially charged with killing the man.
According to Judge Zipp, the situation is serious and suspicious. The dead body was found at the end of a remote street, and the cause of death hasn’t been confirmed yet. The judge said she was worried that Brady might not return to court or could interfere with the investigation if released without bail.
What We Know About the Victim and Investigation So Far
The deceased man has been identified as a 61-year-old, but officials have not shared his name publicly yet as they are still trying to reach his family. The county coroner is waiting on a toxicology report before officially declaring the cause of death.
On January 12, someone called authorities to report a body near Lindsay Road. Deputies found the body of a man with injuries to the head—possibly caused by a hammer—and other unusual marks on his body. Detectives believe the man died a few days before his body was discovered.
A security camera nearby captured footage of a Honda Odyssey van driving past the area earlier that day. Using this lead, detectives tracked down a van and RV parked at an auto shop in Olympia. That’s where they found James Brady.
What Police Found at the Scene
When detectives approached the RV, they reportedly saw Brady inside. After searching the vehicle and RV, they found:
- A hammer and a small sledgehammer
- A blue tarp
- A thick brown rope
- A floor mat with a circular pattern matching a mark on the dead man’s body
- A cell phone
- Biological materials
- A sawed-off shotgun hidden behind the RV driver’s seat
Brady told police he had been home all day on Monday and that no one else had used his van. However, surveillance camera footage showed the van in the Yelm area that same morning—close to where the body was found.
Brady’s past criminal record includes robbery and running from the police in 2017. Because of his prior convictions, he’s not legally allowed to own firearms. Yet, police say they found an illegal shotgun in his RV.
What Happens Next
Prosecutors have until Friday evening to officially charge Brady. If they do, he will need to appear in court again on January 20 for arraignment. If charges are not filed by then, his bail will expire.
While Brady’s public defender argued that he should be released without bail because he’s not accused of a violent crime and can’t afford to pay, the judge chose to keep him in custody for now.
