The Daily Swarm

The Wenatchee World:

Okanogan County and Washington state will share $100,000 in cash — the bail that was forfeited when murder suspect Kino M. Gomez failed to show up for an Okanogan County Superior Court hearing.

Gomez, 51, of Seattle, was charged with first-degree murder in a July shooting at a Twisp motel that killed Tom Pfaeffle, 49, a well-known Black Diamond recording studio artist.

He was released from jail after his family posted the full $100,000 in cash. Last month, he wrote them a “goodbye” letter, saying he was taking a “one-way trip to the mountains.”

Superior Court clerk records show that $66,800 of the bail money went to Okanogan County’s general fund, $32,000 went to the state’s general fund, and $1,200 went to a state crime victim’s fund. Nan Kallunki, the county’s administrative coordinator, said the county has not decided how to use the money, and there’s no requirement to use it for anything specific. She said public defense expenses have been higher than anticipated this year, so some of it may be used to offset those unexpected costs. She said she hopes some of the funds can be carried over to next year’s budget.

The Seattle Times:

He left his family a letter saying he would rather die than lose his freedom.

“The media, the bloggers, the police, the justice system, none of whom witnessed the alleged crime, already hung me,” Gomez wrote. “Well, just for spite, I shall deprive society of the circus it so bloody craves – the bearded lady quit!”

In the letter, Gomez apologized to his family for any embarrassment and financial burden. Officials say they’ve had no reports of Gomez’s whereabouts since he left the letter.

Pfaeffle, a veteran of more than 30 years in the recording and audio mixing business, worked as a concert sound engineer with B.B. King, Alice Cooper, Nirvana, Queensryche, Aerosmith and other bands and performers. Police say Gomez shot Pfaeffle through a motel-room door in Twisp on July 17 because Gomez mistakenly thought someone was trying to break in. Police say Pfaeffle put his key in wrong room door.