Slain detective honored with posthumous promotion

By Marilyn Deutsch

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    CLARK COUNTY, Washington (KPTV) — Detective Jeremy Brown, who was shot and killed in the line of duty Friday, was remembered as a dedicated member of the Clark County Sheriff’s Office and honored with a posthumous promotion Monday morning by Sheriff Chuck Atkins.

Brown, a 15-year veteran of CCSO and a member of the Clark County-Vancouver drug task force, was conducting surveillance at The Pointe Apartments on Northeast 109th Avenue when, according to court documents, 26-year-old Guillermo Raya-Leon approached the detective’s vehicle. People in the area then reported hearing gunshots. Brown was found shot in his vehicle and taken to PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center, where he later died.

On Monday, Sheriff Atkins remembered Brown as a man with a quick smile who beamed when he spoke about his family and his work. Brown was a husband and father of five children and stepchildren. “He was going to be promoted to sergeant, now he is Honorary Sgt. Jeremy Brown. I know how much he wanted that,” Atkins said.

During his remembrance statement, Sheriff Atkins did not speak further about the shooting case that killed Brown, which is actively under investigation. Last year, Brown was involved in the shooting death of Kevin Peterson Jr. — Atkins also did not address this part of Brown’s time with the sheriff’s office.

Guillermo Raya-Leon, who is accused of murdering Brown, was arrested by U.S. Marshals in Salem on Sunday. Two other suspects connected to the shooting, Abran Raya-Leon, 28, and Misty M. Raya, 35, were also arrested on unrelated felony warrants following a chase and search (Guillermo was last of the three arrests). Misty Raya appeared in court Monday morning. Her defense requested $100,000 in bail, however, the judge set it at $1 million. Her next court appearance is set for August 4.

Behind the Badge Foundation will be planning the memorial service for Brown, which is expected to happen in the next 10 days. Atkins said donations and gifts to the Brown family can be sent to the sheriff’s office and to one local credit union in Clark County. The routing information for the account will be sent out later.

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