Attempted Murder Suspect Ordered to Have No Contact with Fiancee or Officer McClaughry

Mount Vernon, WA –  Ernesto “Neto” Rivas, a 44-year old gang member  has been charged with Attempted First Degree Murder after  shooting Mount Vernon Police Officer Mike McClaughry in the head during a police investigation in December of 2016. Rivas  was in Skagit County Superior Court on Thursday, where he was expected to enter a plea but his arraignment was delayed until January 26th of  next week.

A Skagit County Judge  granted  a no contact order between Ernesto Rivas and Officer Mike McClaughry.  The Judge also ordered a no-contact order between Rivas and his Fiancée, Krystal Horton, who is the mother of  his children.   Horton wanted to be able to visit Rivas in jail and bring their children to visit him but the judge denied that request because prosecutors say Horton could be charged in the case herself and they don’t want the two communicating and comparing notes about what happened the night Officer McClaughry was shot while investigating a  gang-related shooting.

Skagit County Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Rosemary Kaholokula told the judge “I’m concerned about potential tampering.  I’m concerned she may end up being an accomplice in some way in this case.”

After the hearing, Horton told reporters she doesn’t know anything about the shooting. She is quoted as saying “I wasn’t in the home when the Officer got shot so I can’t say he did it or she did it. I don’t know. It’s heartbreaking for everybody involved.”

Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Rosemary Kaholokula told reporters after the hearing that “Krystal Horton appears to have been in the house the night Officer McClaughry was shot.  We believe Ms. Horton will be an integral witness in the case at least. We want to get more information from her and about her. We feel she should not be in contact with Mr. Rivas.”

Seattle News reporters asked Horton about her involvement and possibly being charged, to which she replied “I can’t wrap my head around it. I was very honest with the police when I told them I had been in the house. I still maintain I am not by any means a co-defendant in this matter. I have six children back at home. They come first.”

According to charging documents:

44-Year old Ernesto Rivas (DOB 07/10/1972), a self-proclaimed Norteno gang member,  was charged with one Count of Attempted Murder in the First Degree, a class A felony,  for his involvement in the shooting of Officer Mike McClaughry.

16-Year Old Austin Gonzales (DOB 11/01/2000), a self-proclaimed Norteno gang member,  was charged with one count of Attempted Murder in the First Degree, a class A felony,  for his involvement in the shooting of Officer Mike McClaughry and one count of Attempted Murder in the second Degree for his involvement in the gang-related shooting of rival Sureno gang member Kyler Parker, also known as  Kyler Vallejo.

15-Year old Roberto Lopez Jr. (DOB 11/06/2001), a self-proclaimed Norteno gang member,  was charged with one count of Attempted Murder in the First Degree, a class A felony,  for his involvement in the shooting of Officer Mike McClaughry and one count of Attempted Murder in the second Degree for his involvement in the gang-related shooting of rival Sureno gang member Kyler Parker, also known as  Kyler Vallejo.