A five-hour standoff took place on Jan. 25, 2017 at Motel 6, located at 325 SE Nye Ave. in Pendleton. A Pendleton Police Officer saw an SUV connected to Jared Abernathy, a suspect in a double homicide in Mason County, Washington. This led to a standoff which ended in Abernathy taking his own life.
Mason County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the home of Tara Abernathy in Shelton, Washington after she failed to show up to work on the morning of Jan. 24. Abernathy and Kenneth Koonan were found dead of gunshot wounds, and the Mason County Coroner’s Office ruled their deaths homicide. Umatilla County law enforcement received word from the Mason County Sheriff’s Office that Jared Abernathy was a suspect in the case, and was believed to be armed.
A Pendleton Police Officer saw a 2006 Chevrolet Equinox parked at Motel 6 shortly after 1 p.m. on Jan. 25, 2017. Soon after, US Marshals arrived to provide investigative and apprehension assistance to Pendleton Police. A perimeter was established around Motel 6 and additional resources were requested from the Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon State Police, and Hermiston Police Department.
Negotiators were able to establish contact with Abernathy at 3:14 p.m. Communications were maintained while Abernathy spoke with friends, family, and law enforcement. According to a press release issued on behalf of Pendleton Police Chief Stuart Roberts: “the ultimate goal of having Abernathy come out of his motel room peacefully ended at 8:06 p.m. when negotiators heard what sounded like a muffled report from a firearm. Several attempts to re-establish communication with Abernathy went unanswered before Oregon State Police SWAT breached the door to Abernathy’s motel room in an attempt to render aid and/or take Abernathy into custody; however, Abernathy was found to be unresponsive.”