TACOMA — A soldier who died over the weekend was stabbed in the heart as he was walking away from a de-escalating confrontation, prosecutors said Tuesday.
In charging documents, prosecutors said that an autopsy determined that Spc. Tevin Geike, 20, suffered a deep stab wound to his chest that cut through a rib and plunged through his heart.
Prosecutors charged Jeremiah Hill, 23, with first-degree murder, saying he approached Geike from behind and attacked him just as a verbal confrontation between two groups in Lakewood was calming down. Authorities also charged Cedarium Johnson, 21, and Ajoni Runnion-Bareford, 21, with rendering criminal assistance, saying they aided in disposing of the murder weapon.
All three men pleaded not guilty.
The suspects and victim in the case were all soldiers at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
A $2 million bail was set for Hill during a hearing in Pierce County Superior Court.
Deputy prosecutor Phil Sorensen said during the hearing Hill’s “only ties with the community are through the military.”
Bail for Runnion-Bareford was set at $250,000. Johnson’s attorney motioned for his client to be released and contained within the base. The judge agreed, and Johnson was to be released to his mother later today. Johnson is from Texas. His was in the courtroom.
Geike, of Summerville, S.C., was walking with two other soldiers early Saturday when words were exchanged with someone in a car. The vehicle, containing five people, stopped and four of the occupants got out to confront the three, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said the groups were separating after realizing they were all active duty soldiers when Geike was fatally stabbed.
Two of the five suspects are cooperating with law enforcement and were not being held in custody, authorities said.
Prosecutors said the suspects eventually discarded the knife that was used in the attack into brush. Investigators believe they have found the weapon.
Outside the courtroom Tuesday, Amy Johnson, a friend of Geike’s, said the victim “deserves his justice.”
“He deserves to know his killer is put behind bars or put on death row,” she said.
