KENNEWICK — The final moments of a 67-year Kennewick man’s life were caught on camera as the son of his ex-girlfriend shot him twice, show newly filed court documents.
Two days later, his body was discovered at his front doorstep by a friend returning items she borrowed.
Video from a neighbor’s security camera showed Mark Jurgens yelling at Antonio James Aguilar-Hartman, 24, to get out after the younger man pulled a gun, according to court documents.
The two were standing on the porch of the Jurgens’ home at 4108 W. Third Ave. on Nov. 17 when Aguilar-Hartman allegedly fired twice, striking Jurgens in the head.
It was a violent end to a contentious relationship between the men, according to court documents.
While Jurgens was dating Aguilar-Hartman’s mother, the two men had gotten into many arguments about Aguilar-Hartman not working, one of Jurgens’ friends told investigators.
Now Aguilar-Hartman faces one count of premeditated first-degree murder in Benton County Superior Court, along with the possibility of extra time if convicted of using a gun in the crime.
Kennewick police along with the U.S. Marshals Task Force and Lincoln County sheriff’s deputies arrested him on Wednesday at a snowy cabin in Lincoln County.
Jurgens’ owned a cabin in Davenport, WA, according to court documents. Aguilar-Hartman’s mother had stayed there until their breakup a couple of months ago. It’s unclear if that’s the same place where he was arrested.
Aguilar-Hartman pleaded innocent to the charges during his first appearance in Benton County Superior Court on Monday afternoon.
Deputy Prosecutor Craig Swenson asked for $2 million bail pointing out that Aguilar-Hartman fled the Tri-Cities after the shooting. When he was arrested, he had two guns and 10 fully-loaded ammunition carriers strapped to himself.
“Thankfully he did surrender himself,” Swenson said.
Defense Attorney Michael Vander Sys said he’d wait until another hearing to argue bail.
Court Commissioner Megan Whitmire set bail at $1.5 million, noting she set the same amount in a similar recent homicide case.
IOU note found
Kennewick police were initially called about Jurgens’ death shortly before 11:15 p.m. on Nov. 19 by the girlfriend of a neighbor who was returning items she had borrowed, according to court documents. He was lying on his back in front of the home.
Officers discovered a spent 9 mm shell casing nearby. An autopsy later found he had been shot twice in the head.
When police searched the home, they discovered a call that turned out to be from Aguilar-Hartman’s mother the day he died.
They also found an IOU note that said Aguilar-Hartman had used an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle as collateral in May to borrow $500 from Jurgens.
When detectives started looking into Aguilar-Hartman and his mother, they discovered Kennewick police had contacted them twice — once in May and a second time in July. Each time, they were living in a tent and driving a Dodge Durango.
Security video footage
A neighbor’s security camera caught the same Dodge Durango arriving outside Jurgens’ home about 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 17. The two people who got out matched the descriptions of Aguilar-Hartman and his mother.
About an hour later, the woman left the house and returned to the driver’s side of the SUV.
The video remained quiet for the next half hour until an argument can be heard, according to court documents.
“Mr. Jurgens yells, ‘C’mon Jimmy, f—g idiot, pulled a gun on me, get the f—k out of here now. Get out of here, before I call the police on you,’” according to the affidavit of probable cause.
As the argument continues, there were two silhouettes in the frame with one moving toward the door. Jurgens then yells for the other man to get out of there.
Then two gunshots ring out and Jurgens collapses after the second one.
The second man leaves the house, walks around the back of the truck in the driveway and then runs to the passenger side of the SUV.
The driver starts the Durango, and asks the man what is going on, and he replies to just drive. The vehicle then speeds away, say police.
