Associated Press
YAKIMA — A Yakima tavern was destroyed by a fire Saturday after its owner testified in a federal murder trial.
Yakima firefighters were called around 4:40 a.m. about the fire at the Brownstone Tavern near Harrah. Fire Chief Kevin Frazier said the fire was “well involved” when firefighters arrived.
Tavern owner Tim Castilleja testified last week in the trial of Jordan Stevens, who was found guilty of murder in the 2019 death of Alillia “Lala” Minthorn of Toppenish, The Yakima Herald-Republic reported.
Castilleja was arrested last week after he failed to show up to testify and brought to court. He said he was afraid to testify against Stevens. Castilleja testified that Stevens and two women visited the tavern shortly after Minthorn’s killing. He told jurors one of the women was cleaning the SUV they drove up in and was visibly upset, while he saw Stevens carrying a rifle.
The cause of the blaze hasn’t been determined and whether it was connected to the trial wasn’t clear.
The FBI and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives will lead the fire investigation.
Yakama Nation Tribal Police guarded the site Saturday, where fire continued to burn in the basement. Most of the building walls had collapsed and there was a vehicle with fire damage next to the building.
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