Former assistant police chief's son charged with first-degree murder
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A breakthrough witness and telltale blood from a thigh wound led King County prosecutors yesterday to file first-degree-murder charges against Kim Heichel Mason in the death of Hartanto Santoso, despite not having recovered Santoso's body.
Santoso, 31, a Kirkland resident, has been missing since Feb. 19.
According to charging papers, a witness came forward Wednesday who brought all the pieces together in the two-month investigation.
The witness, police said, picked up Mason on the night of Feb. 19 at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Mason had dried blood on his hands and a large bandage on his right thigh, the witness told police.
Police later saw a videotape of Mason, recorded March 3, and confirmed that he had a wound on his right thigh. Police later questioned Mason and examined the wound; tests revealed it occurred within a time frame that included Feb. 19.
Santoso's car was found at the airport parking garage Feb. 21. Blood on the driver's seat of that car matches the location of Mason's leg wound, authorities say. Police later investigated the witness' car and reportedly found blood in the passenger seat consistent with the location of Mason's leg wound.
Police think Mason stabbed Santoso at Santoso's apartment, accidentally cut himself in the thigh during the altercation, disposed of Santoso's body and then drove the victim's car to the airport. The witness allegedly drove Mason back home.
Mason, 22, had a strong motive to kill Santoso, prosecutors say. Santoso was set to testify against Mason in a kidnapping case, scheduled to begin May 17.
According to prosecutors, on Jan. 23, Mason lured Santoso to his Redmond apartment and choked him to unconsciousness. Santoso told police that he awoke bound and gagged. He said Mason pointed a 9-mm handgun at him and told him to write a $700 check, allegedly to pay off Mason's drug debts.
Mason eventually let Santoso go; he was arrested and charged a few days later.
Mason said he was fending off an unwanted sexual advance. Police said the two had a sexual relationship about a year before the assault. They met while working at a Juanita-area nursing home.
Santoso's friends said yesterday that while they are relieved Mason is in custody, they are upset with the judge who released Mason without bail in the first place, after the alleged kidnapping incident.
Prosecutors had asked for $200,000 bail in that case. "There was an extremely violent act that precipitated all of this," said Jeff Clemenson, a family friend who lived with Santoso in Portland in 1997.
"Someone seriously needs to look at the decision-making process involved with Mason being released."
Mason's father is John Mason, who retired in 1999 as a Seattle assistant police chief after 30 years on the force.
John Mason vouched for his son before King County Superior Court pro tem Judge Charles Johnson. Kim Mason was released into his father's custody, without bail. "The people that were holding out some hope that (Santoso) was still alive, they're feeling pretty bad right now," Clemenson said. "(Santoso) was very trusting, he wanted to help, but he picked the wrong people to be friends with."
Michael Ko can be reached at 206-515-5653 or mko@seattletimes.com.