Richland construction worker shot and killed in dispute over fencing stolen goods

A Richland man was killed in an apparent argument over stolen merchandise at a Mabton home.

Mathew J. Rand, 30, was allegedly armed with a gun when he went into a home on the 5300 block of Sunnyside Mabton Road on Sunday evening, according to the Yakima County Sheriff’s Office.

The homeowner, Jon R. Bonewell Jr., 47, of Mabton, told investigators that he was selling stolen property for Rand, and thought that Rand was upset that he hadn’t sold enough of it.

Bonewell ordered Rand out of the house, and grabbed a shotgun and followed him out, according to a Yakima Herald-Republic article.

The two men ended up outside of the house where they confronted each other, according to the sheriff’s office. Bonewell allegedly shot and killed Rand.

Bonewell told deputies he believed Rand was going to kill him.

Bonewell is a convicted felon, who was not legally allowed to own a gun, the sheriff’s office said in a release.

He is being held on suspicion of second-degree murder and illegal gun possession in the Yakima County jail.

His bail is set at $300,000.

While the sheriff’s office said Rand was from Grandview, a death notice from Prosser Funeral Home and Crematory says he was living in Richland when he died.

The 30-year-old was born in Sunnyside and had lived in Prosser for 15 years. He worked in construction, according to the death notice.