Dayton Man Faces First- Degree Murder Charges

DAYTON - The Columbia County Prosecutor on Wednesday was expected to file first-degree murder charges against a Dayton man accused of fatally shooting his wife at the couple's home on South Third Street Sunday evening.

A new police report from the Columbia County Sheriff's Office indicates the alleged murder may have been premeditated and will help form the basis for the upgraded charges, Prosecuting Attorney Rea Culwell said on Tuesday.

"The state will be filing murder one charges tomorrow (Wednesday)," she said. "We are waiting on preliminary reports from law enforcement."

The suspect, Joseph Vernon Shuba, 58, was arrested and booked into the county jail early Monday morning on suspicion of murdering his wife of at least 30 years, Suzanne Shuba, age 59. If convicted of the crime, Shuba could face 20 years in prison or the state has the option of asking for the death penalty.

There have only been five other homicide investigations in the county over the past 50 years, according to the Columbia County Sheriff's Office. The last one reported in the county occurred on June 12, 2002.

The murder of which Joseph Shuba is accused shocked the couple's neighbors and friends, who said no one saw it coming given how quiet and content the retired pair seemed.

Culwell said Joseph Shuba has never been convicted of a crime and Columbia County deputies have never responded to the couple's home for domestic violence or civil issues.

To the neighbors, the recently relocated Shubas were the "grandparents" of the neighborhood. What occurred Sunday evening at about 9 p.m. was "fast, weird and spooky," said neighbor Chuck Ayerst.

Not one of the neighbors contacted by the Times heard any gunshots that evening.

However, shortly before the police arrived, the Shuba's family friend, Donna Fone of Dayton, arrived at the couple's residence. Chuck and Debbie Ayerst said Fone entered the Shuba residence and moments later came to their door that night and asked the Ayersts to call the police.

"She was freaked and she was panicked," said Debbie Ayerst.

Chuck Ayerst said Fone had told them Joseph had shot his wife and Fone had taken the pistol away from him. Culwell confirmed that Fone had been on the scene and had taken the couple's dog to her home. Debbie's mother tried to get Fone to stay with the Ayersts, but Fone only remained at their home for about five minutes, Debbie Ayerst said.

According to a Columbia County Sheriff's Office report cited by Culwell, the call from the Ayersts reporting possible gunshots from a neighbor came in to dispatch services about 9 p.m. and two sheriff's deputies were sent to the Shuba residence.

The deputies entered the home, Culwell said, and came across Joseph and his wife. Suzanne's body was lying on the floor of the kitchen. Upon observing the scene, Joseph was taken into custody. A .22 caliber Heritage Rough Rider, a single-action revolver, was found at the home, according to the report and a statement from Sheriff Walt Hessler.

According to the police report, Culwell said when Joseph was exiting the residence with the deputies after being read his Miranda Warnings, he said "I knew this was going to happen. I shot her."

Joseph did admit to consuming alcohol that evening, but the county does not know if he had drugs in his system, Culwell said.

After midnight, when the coroner departed, Joseph was booked into jail under suspicion of second-degree murder. However, at his bond hearing on Monday, Culwell told Judge William Acey that her office would be charging him with first-degree murder. She said evidence found in the Shuba home by the Washington State Crime Lab leads her office and the Sheriff's office to believe the crime may have been premeditated.

Also at the bond hearing, Acey agreed with Culwell's recommendation for Joseph to remain in custody and set bail at $700,000. Culwell said because of his lack of ties to the community she perceived him as being a flight risk who may not attend his hearings. The Shubas moved to Dayton in June 2010 and the couple does not have family in the area, Culwell said.

Joseph's attorney, Dale Slack, told the judge Monday his client suffers from stress and seizure disorders and requires medical care. Joseph was injured in a car accident in December 2011 and was scheduled to have surgery on his neck on Wednesday, Slack said.

Joseph will next appear in court on May 10 at 1:30 p.m. The case is still under investigation.

The Shubas, originally from California where neighbors say Joseph worked in the landscape business, moved to Dayton two years ago to live in the home on Third Street that one of Suzanne's late family members had owned. The house had previously been in the name of Dorothy Adkins-Crow, according to county assessor's records.

Culwell said a coroner from Yakima was scheduled to perform an autopsy on Tuesday morning and report his preliminary findings to the prosecutor.

Surviving family members reportedly were expected to arrive in Dayton on Tuesday as well.