Yahoo Movies Richland home invasion leads to Benton City baseball bat attack and carjack shooting
Two men are linked to a Richland home invasion and a Benton City shooting that happened within hours of each other.
Jordon Re Conner, 36, and Joshua Conrad Behymer, 42, are accusing of forcing their way into a Richland home and robbing a couple at gunpoint as they looked for money and drugs.
Five hours later they allegedly beat and shot a man in Benton City in an attempt to steal his car.
Both men are in the Benton County jail facing charges of first-degree burglary, first-degree robbery, first-degree assault, attempted first-degree robbery and first-degree illegal gun possession.
Prosecutors said the burglary, robbery and assaults happened while they were armed with a gun and should carry additional prison time.
The two pleaded innocent this week to all charges. Behymer is being held in lieu of $500,000 bail and Conner on $250,0000.
A nationwide arrest warrant was issued for a third man, Cody Leehi Wood, 28, on burglary and robbery charges. He allegedly helped with the Richland home-invasion.
Behymer and Conner already have extensive criminal histories.
Conner was sentenced to more than 15 years in prison in 2009 after pleading guilty to first-degree robbery and first-degree burglary. He was released in January, and six days later was facing charges for malicious mischief, and was out on bail when the current crimes happened.
Behymer had been convicted for second-degree assault and two counts second-degree illegal gun possession in 2014. He served four years in prison before being released in 2018.
Richland break-in
Conner, Behymer and Wood allegedly showed up at a detached garage on at 1905 Hood Ave. in Richland, a property police say they are familiar with because of past criminal activity, according to court records.
The men began beating on the garage door about 8 p.m. on Friday, waking up a man living there. When he looked through a peephole, he saw the three men outside.
Shortly after, they found another way in and allegedly pointed guns at the man and woman living the garage.
Behymer fired one round into the ceiling before he and Conner grabbed armloads of items and began leaving, according to police. They also kept asking for money or drugs.
The two victims reportedly recognized the men.
A surveillance camera caught the three men approaching the garage, and the sound of a gunshot.
Car jacking
After the robbery, Conner and Behymer were standing outside a trailer on the 300 block of Seventh Street when a man pulled in.
A woman with Conner and Behymer was feeling sick, so the man offered to get her medicine. Conner offered to go with him, but he refused.
When the man returned 15 minutes later, Conner and Behymer demanded his car. He refused and Conner allegedly hit him with an aluminum baseball bat in the arm, according to court records.
The man started retreating to his car and Conner hit him again with the bat in the other arm, he said.
As he was getting in the car, Behymer allegedly shot him in the leg. Conner then broke the windshield and driver’s side window with the bat.
The man started the car and drove to a nearby gas station where he called 911.
Benton County deputies found him at the Ki-Be Market, according to court records. Police said the window were busted and the inside was covered with blood.
Sunday arrest
Behymer was caught during a traffic stop in Pasco on Sunday when officers spotted a gun tucked between the seats.
He allegedly told police that he had committed both crimes with Conner and Wood, and they considered if “they had a better chance in a shootout against police” if they stayed together.
After the home invasion, Behymer said Conner wanted to throw the gun into the Yakima River.
The two argued before Behymer handed over the .357 Magnum, and Conner threw it into the river.
