Altercation at Lynnwood bar led to deadly shooting, police say

A 38-year-old man died five days after he was injured during an altercation at a Lynnwood pub and the other man in the fight, Joseph Raymond, is now charged with second-degree murder, according to police.

Officers responded to the Just Left Pub and Grill on 198th Street Southwest around 10 p.m. April 10 and found Mecos Oneal lying face up in the parking lot with a suspected gunshot wound to the neck, according to court documents. He died from his injuries at the hospital on Wednesday.

Police did not find any weapons on or near Oneal, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Staff and patrons of the bar described overhearing comments between the two men that seemed aggressive, according to the affidavit. A bartender reported she heard the two men speaking with raised voices while Oneal was closing his tab, when Oneal said something similar to Let's take this outside."

The bartender said Oneal had asked her to review security footage because he couldn't find his coat. He left the building and Raymond, 44, followed, the affidavit said.

A patron said Raymond approached him and said "the other guy" - presumably referring to Oneal - accused him of stealing his belongings, according to the affidavit. The patron stated the "other guy" later approached him and asked to play horseshoes for $10,000 and pulled out a wad of money, according to the affidavit.

Oneal had $15,000 in cash on him when he died, according to police.

Video surveillance from the bar showed the two men standing next to each other about 13 minutes before officers were dispatched, according to the affidavit. Raymond's body language appeared "sharp and exaggerated," and it appears the suspect pushed Oneal, according to the affidavit. The suspect leaves the camera's view before returning a minute later, speaks to Oneal again, and the two men exit toward the parking lot, according to the affidavit. The killing is not captured on footage.

Around 11 p.m., officers drove to the Marysville address registered to Raymond with the Department of Licensing. Before police made contact with him, Raymond called 911, according to the affidavit.

Raymond allegedly told the dispatcher he "got into an altercation with a guy at the bar in Lynnwood" and needed to turn himself in. He told the dispatcher he was acting in self-defense, according to the affidavit.

Officers took Raymond into custody. He said the other man asked him to step outside the bar and then "something happened," according to the affidavit. He then asked for an attorney. Raymond was not injured.

Raymond appeared to be wearing the same clothing captured on surveillance from the bar, and his wife told police that he had gone to play horseshoes in Lynnwood and came back scared, saying he had gotten into a fight, according to the affidavit.

When conducting a search warrant on Raymond's home, officers found a revolver with one fired casing in the cylinder. In a Ford F-150 parked outside, they found a firearm holster and a box of ammunition with six rounds missing, according to the affidavit.

Raymond is being held in the Snohomish County Jail in lieu of $500,000 in bail.

In a statement from Oneal's family distributed by the Lynnwood Police Department, he's described as a "kind and outgoing person who was a friend to everyone he met."

"He was a devoted father, son, brother, husband, and a valued part of his community," the statement said. "He loved cooking, playing video games, and was known for his fast typing skills. He was also a big sports fan. Above all, he loved his family deeply, especially his children.

Lynnwood detectives ask anyone with information to contact crimetips@Lynnwoodwa.gov.

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