A 23-year-old man from Kitsap County, Washington has been arrested and charged with the murder of his two teenage half-brothers after authorities found them dead in their family home near Poulsbo, Washington.
On October 9, deputies responded to a 911 call from Seth K. South, who reported that one of his family members had slit his own throat, according to charging documents. The call went silent, and dispatchers heard sounds of a struggle before the line disconnected.
When officers arrived at the residence on Scandia Road Northwest, they discovered the bodies of Sebastian Bass, 16, and Scotty Bass, 17. Scotty was found lying face down in the kitchen with a kitchen knife nearby, while Sebastian was located at the top of the stairs with a handgun on a table next to him.
Detectives noted that South lived with the victims but was not present at the scene when they arrived. Interviews with family members revealed that South had allegedly confessed to killing “the boys.” His grandfather recounted that South told him, “You’re either with me or against me,” and that he admitted to the killings.
Further investigation uncovered that South had informed a friend he was heading to Missouri to kill another sibling. Authorities issued a statewide alert for his Toyota Tacoma.
Later that evening, Pierce County sheriff’s deputies spotted South’s vehicle on State Route 410 near Bonney Lake. After deploying spike strips to deflate his tires, deputies arrested South without further incident. They observed blood on the shift knob and driver’s seat of his truck, and bloody clothing was found inside the vehicle.
During an interview with detectives, South admitted to stabbing Scotty but claimed that Scotty had shot Sebastian before dying. While being re-handcuffed, South is accused of assaulting a detective, causing a cut on the officer’s head.
South has been charged with two counts of second-degree murder with domestic violence enhancements and one count of third-degree assault on a law enforcement officer. He appeared in Kitsap County Superior Court on October 10, where a judge ordered a competency evaluation at Western State Hospital.
He is currently held without bail and faces the possibility of two life sentences plus additional fines if convicted. He is scheduled to return to court later this month.
The deaths of Sebastian and Scotty Bass have impacted the local community, with North Kitsap High School confirming that one of the victims was a student there. The school district has offered counseling services to students and staff.
Authorities continue to investigate the motives behind the killings. Anyone with additional information is urged to contact the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office.
