Two Relatives Were Found Dead 30 Minutes Apart. Hours Later, the Suspect Was Killed by Police
Hayes McCloud, 24, was shot and killed by police in Seaside after being identified as a person of interest in the deaths of two people in Pierce County, Washington. Authorities say the killings happened about 30 minutes apart, appeared targeted, and involved victims who were reportedly related, though the motive remains unknown.
Marie NovakMarie Novak is a crime news writer for Crimehowl, covering true crime, missing persons cases, court updates, and stories that leave communities searching for answers. She focuses on writing with empathy, clarity, and a deep respect for victims and their families while encouraging readers to think critically about the cases that shape the headlines.
PUBLISHED JUL 11, 2026 · 06:00 | 2 MIN READ | FILED UNDER CURRENT CRIMES
A 24-year-old man linked to the deaths of two people in Pierce County, Washington, was shot and killed by police hours after investigators identified him as a person of interest.
Authorities said Hayes McCloud was connected to two separate deaths that happened early Wednesday morning, July 8. Both victims were found in Pierce County, and investigators believe the killings were targeted.
The first victim, a 35-year-old man, was found dead inside a home in Puyallup after deputies responded around 2:40 a.m. According to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, the initial investigation showed signs of “homicidal violence” inside a bedroom that eventually led outside the home.
About 30 minutes later, deputies said a second murder occurred in the Tacoma area.
FOX 13 Seattle reported that both victims were shot and killed and were related to each other.
That detail makes this case even more disturbing. If the victims were family members, investigators will now have to determine whether the alleged attacks were connected to a personal dispute, a family conflict, or something else entirely.
At this time, authorities have not released a motive.
The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office said both killings appeared to be targeted, but investigators are still working to understand why they happened and what led up to the violence.
Later that same day, around 8 p.m., police in Seaside made contact with McCloud. The sheriff’s office described what followed as a “major incident.”
Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swank later said on social media that McCloud was shot and killed by police in Seaside. No officers were injured.
Authorities have not yet released many details about what happened during the confrontation with police, including what led officers to fire, whether McCloud was armed, or how officers located him in Seaside.
For now, the case leaves behind two major investigations: the deaths of the two Pierce County victims and the officer-involved shooting that ended with McCloud dead.
Cases like this move quickly, but families and communities are often left waiting much longer for answers. Two people are dead. A person of interest is also dead. And the motive remains unknown.
That means investigators may now have to piece together the full story without being able to question the man they believed was connected to the killings.
What do you think authorities need to release next: the victims’ identities, the possible relationship between the victims and McCloud, or the details of what happened during the police shooting in Seaside?
