Police seek motive in Aberdeen boy's slaying

Neighbors of Daryn Tolle, a 16-year-old Aberdeen boy found slain under a bridge Saturday, said it was a fluke he was alone Friday night at a bowling-alley dance.

Tolle had been going to the dances with friends the past few months and occasionally walked home, but never alone, said Bill Tosland, who lives near the Tolles.

On Friday night, a friend of Tolle's went home early.

"It was a little change of plan that changed everything," Tosland said.

Aberdeen police yesterday were searching for a motive and had no suspects in the slaying of Tolle, described as an "all-American" boy who got good grades and had no enemies.

His body was found by a passer-by about 1 a.m. Saturday under the Chehalis River bridge near downtown. An autopsy found Tolle suffered "extreme homicidal violence," including neck injuries, authorities said.

Police had interviewed several of Tolle's friends at the bowling alley and were hoping to talk to more. They said yesterday that there were no reports of an altercation at the party that night.

Some evidence was recovered near the bridge, but police declined to elaborate until their investigation is complete. The boy still had his wallet, with money inside, but robbery wasn't being ruled out as a possible motive.

"We're keeping all our options open," said Aberdeen police Capt. Michael Haymon.

Tolle was a sophomore at Aberdeen High School.

"This was a very well-mannered, responsible young boy," Haymon said. "All-American, true-blue type kind of kid. He didn't drink, he didn't smoke."

Aberdeen police haven't had a teen-homicide case for more than 15 years, Haymon said. The last teen murder victim was Melanie Santiago, 16, who was killed by a young Aberdeen man.

Friends described Tolle as "a great kid" with an infectious sense of humor who liked surfing the Internet and listening to records by Weird Al Yankovic and Jimi Hendrix.

Tolle did not appear to have enemies.

"He was a really, really good person," said 13-year-old Sharess Crump, who lived a block from the Tolle family home, where Daryn lived with his parents, Jeff and Amanda Tolle, and his sister, Chelsea.

"He was always funny, laughing," she said Saturday, fighting back tears as she and two friends left daffodils at the crime scene, already marked with flowers brought by others.

"He got along with everybody" no matter how old they were, Crump said.

Bob Hunter, an art teacher at the high school, had Tolle in his study hall the past two years.

"There aren't that many kids who will say, `What can I help you with today?' He was that kind of kid," Hunter said. "He went out of his way to help me set up a computer-graphics lab."

Aberdeen High School Vice Principal Rocky Rocquin was arranging for grief counseling for students and staff members, who will return to school today after a week's spring vacation.

Seattle Times staff reporter Jeff Hodson contributed to this report.