Prosecutors say a roughhousing match in a Tahuya backyard ended when a handgun fired once, killing 33-year-old Kyle Olsen.
SHELTON, WA — A 30-year-old Kitsap County man pleaded not guilty Wednesday to second-degree murder in the Christmas Day shooting of his friend in Mason County, where investigators say a late-night bout of roughhousing turned deadly behind a home near Tahuya’s Collins Lake neighborhood.
Prosecutors say the case centers on what happened in the minutes after a group gathered at a friend’s house on Dec. 25, when two men who often wrestled began scuffling outside. Witnesses told investigators the struggle ended with a single shot and a frantic attempt to save the victim’s life. The judge set bail at $100,000, well below the $750,000 sought by the state, allowing the defendant’s release pending trial. The decision drew sharp criticism from the victim’s relatives, who filled the courthouse gallery and said the community is grieving as the legal process begins.
According to charging papers, Kyle Olsen invited friends to his home on Christmas night. Shortly before 8 p.m., witnesses said Olsen and Tyler Jordan Hess stepped into the backyard, where the two had a history of playful wrestling. Several people followed them outside. What happened next is a central dispute: witnesses described the men grappling and separating, when Hess produced a handgun and, during a brief pause, pointed it toward Olsen and fired once. Friends pulled Hess to the ground, disarmed him and hid the firearm in a kitchen cabinet before deputies arrived, the documents state. Medics treated Olsen for a gunshot wound to the torso, but he was pronounced dead after emergency responders reached the scene. In court, Hess’s attorney entered the plea of “not guilty,” saying the shooting occurred during chaotic horseplay.
Investigators collected the handgun, a spent shell casing and statements from multiple witnesses who said the men’s roughhousing was not unusual. A cousin who had left just before the shooting described Olsen as a generous handyman who “would drop whatever he was doing and be there” for friends. In the first appearance, the judge issued a no-contact order preventing Hess from in-person contact with his young child and the child’s mother while the case is pending. The courtroom grew tense as the restriction was discussed; Olsen’s father stood outside afterward and said the family was “hurting” and felt the bail amount was too low. The prosecutor argued that the alleged use of a firearm in close quarters, after prior wrestling, supported a higher bail.
Records show the shooting took place in the Collins Lake area of Tahuya, an unincorporated community in Mason County known for wooded lots and narrow neighborhood roads. Deputies and firefighters were dispatched within minutes of the 911 call reporting a person shot. The sheriff’s office posted a brief update that evening noting a suspect was detained and major crimes detectives were called out. Second-degree murder in Washington alleges a person intentionally caused the death of another but without premeditation, or caused death during the commission of a felony. The specific theory advanced by prosecutors will be tested as more evidence — including ballistics, trajectory analysis and any forensic downloads from phones — is filed with the court. Officials have not publicly identified any prior criminal history for either man, and no other injuries were reported.
Washington courts typically weigh flight risk, community safety and the strength of the evidence when setting bail. In this case, the judge cited standard release conditions and imposed the $100,000 amount, which can be posted through a bond for a fraction of the total. Relatives leaving court said the ruling allowed the defendant to “walk free” while they plan a funeral and wait for answers. The defense said Hess has strong ties to the area and intends to comply with orders while contesting the charge. The prosecution noted that several witnesses placed the gun in Hess’s hand just before the shot and that the group subdued him immediately afterward, evidence the state says undercuts any claim that the weapon fired accidentally during a struggle.
The sheriff’s office said detectives interviewed partygoers late into the night and canvassed nearby homes for cameras. The timeline in filings puts the 911 call on Dec. 25, with deputies securing the scene and collecting a single spent casing in the yard. The documents do not indicate that officers recovered additional rounds or that multiple shots were fired. Neighbors told investigators they heard shouting, then one loud pop, followed by people yelling for help. The medical examiner will issue the final autopsy report, which typically includes the bullet path and cause of death; that report had not been filed publicly as of Wednesday. Funeral arrangements for Olsen were still being organized by family and friends, according to people who spoke outside court.
Mason County has seen few homicides in recent years, and Christmas Day killings are rarer still. The Tahuya area, a stretch along Hood Canal known for second homes and weekend traffic to state forests, draws relatives and friends together over the holidays. People who knew both men said they often wrestled at gatherings and never expected a gun to appear. Prosecutors counter that, regardless of prior play, pointing a loaded handgun at close range meets the legal threshold for deadly intent. Defense filings are expected to argue that the scuffle created confusion and that the shooting lacked intent to kill. Those competing narratives will shape pretrial motions and any potential plea talks in the weeks ahead.
The defendant is charged in Mason County Superior Court with second-degree murder, a Class A felony. He remains under court supervision with conditions that include no possession of firearms, no alcohol or illegal drugs and compliance with the no-contact order. A readiness hearing is scheduled for Feb. 2, with further scheduling to follow; trial dates in such cases often shift as lab results and discovery roll in. Prosecutors said additional charges are not currently anticipated but could be considered if new facts emerge. The court also directed both sides to confer on evidence exchange deadlines and to be prepared for a status update at the next hearing.
Outside the courthouse, relatives alternated between tears and clipped sentences. Olsen’s father said, “My son is gone forever,” adding that seeing the defendant leave the courthouse “hurts” the family. A cousin described the victim as “the best” kind of friend who showed up when things broke around the house. Several friends quietly placed flowers near the home’s front steps in Tahuya, where holiday lights still hung. One neighbor said the sound of sirens on Christmas night carried across the evergreens and lingered longer than the single crack that brought them. A defense supporter said Hess is “not a monster” and that the night “spun out of control.”
As of late Wednesday, the defendant remained out on bond and under court orders, and investigators continued preparing reports for prosecutors. The next scheduled hearing is set for Feb. 2 in Mason County Superior Court.
Author note: Last updated January 1, 2026.