Two men who set fire to a man at an Olympia homeless encampment last year have been convicted on murder charges.
Following a three-week trial that ended on Friday, a Thurston County Superior Court jury found Christopher Snyder, 32, guilty of six charges, including first-degree murder, first-degree arson, first-degree assault and intimidating a witness. He was acquitted on one count: possessing or manufacturing an incendiary device.
Snyder’s co-defendant, Kevin James Hinzpeter, 32, pleaded guilty Oct. 8 to one count of second-degree murder. All other charges were dropped as part of a plea deal.
First- and second-degree murder each carry a maximum penalty of life in prison.
Both men have sentencing hearings scheduled for Monday, Nov. 17, in Thurston County Superior Court.
Hintzpeter and Snyder confronted a 47-year-old man at an encampment known as “the Jungle” on Oct. 8, 2024, and set him on fire with a chemical before fleeing the scene, according to reporting by The Olympian.
The pair reportedly returned the next day to steal belongings from the victim's camp and interrogate witnesses, with Snyder shooting one of the witnesses with a pellet gun.
While the co-defendants were initially charged with attempted murder, the charges were upgraded to first-degree murder after the victim died from his injuries about two weeks after the attack.
