Suspect identified in Kennewick home invasion already in custody

Police used blood evidence to link an inmate in the Franklin County jail to a violent Kennewick home invasion last month.

David Castaneda, 35, was charged Wednesday with several felonies — including first-degree assault, first-degree kidnapping and first-degree burglary — in connection with the Feb. 28 break-in on West Seventh Avenue.

The Washington State Patrol Crime Lab matched blood found on the outside of a window at the crime scene to Castaneda, who was already locked up in Franklin County after police say he was caught earlier this month in a Pasco alley armed with a gun and wearing a mask.

In the February break-in, Castaneda is accused of tying up two residents, pistol-whipping one, and stealing a gun, wallet and credit cards.

Russell Shockley came home about 9:15 p.m. and Castaneda rushed him with a gun drawn, according to court documents filed Wednesday. Shockley was then tied up and Castaneda demanded to know where the “kiddie porn and assault rifles” were.

After Shockley told Castaneda there was nothing like that in the house, Castaneda began rummaging through items, court documents said. About 15 minutes later, Shockley’s roommate, Dennis David, came home and was confronted by Castaneda.

Castaneda allegedly pointed a gun at David, pulled the slide several times and pulled the trigger, but the gun jammed, court documents said. David then tackled Castaneda, but Castaneda was able to pistol whip his victim and tie him up.

Castaneda then again demanded to know where the “kiddie porn and assault rifles” were, court documents said.

While the struggle was going on in the garage, Shockley was able to speed dial his father and relay part of the home’s address and the numbers “911,” court documents said. Castaneda discovered the call and disabled the phone.

However, police were tipped off and drove to the home to check things out.

When police knocked on the door, David yelled and Shockley was able to run out of the house, court documents said. Castaneda apparently slammed the front door and ran out the back of the house.

David’s face was badly cut and bruised, and he had ligature marks around his wrists and strips of duct tape near his ankles, police said. Officers found a bullet in the garage.

Both Shockley and David gave police similar descriptions of their attacker. The descriptions matched Castaneda.

The blood was found on a window where it appeared the suspect had broken in. The window’s screen was on the ground and the frame was bent and scratched.

Once the blood evidence came back a match, police realized Castaneda was already in custody for warrants and charges stemming from a March 5 incident in Pasco.

A citizen reported seeing a man, later determined to be Castaneda, holding a gun and wearing a mask in an alley behind West Hopkins Street, police said.

Officers showed up and spotted Castaneda about a block from the scene, police said. He took off, ditching the mask and gun, and was arrested after a short foot chase.

Police figured out Castaneda had three warrants and was a suspect in a complaint from earlier in the day. Six shots were fired in an alley behind Castaneda’s ex-girlfriend’s apartment. No one was injured.

Investigators found a stolen Dodge Charger from Umatilla near where Castaneda ran from police. The car had been spray painted to try and disguise it.

This story was originally published March 16, 2016 at 9:48 AM with the headline "Suspect identified in Kennewick home invasion already in custody."