Stolen liquor bottle allegedly used in assault that killed homeless man

A homeless man charged with second-degree murder in connection with the Oct. 12 stabbing death of fellow transient Matthew Samlock has now also been charged with stealing a bottle of whisky that he allegedly later used to smash over Samlock's head shortly before Samlock's homicide, court papers state.

Samlock, 37, was found stabbed in the chest on a sidewalk off of Cooper Point Road Oct. 12. He died at the scene, of a "penetrating stab wound to the chest," according to the Thurston County Coroner's Office. Two transients, Jakob Curtis, 21, and Jason Beeson, also 21, were later arrested and charged with second-degree murder.

According to new charging documents filed on Thursday, on Oct. 11, just one day before Samlock's homicide, Curtis stole several bottles of liquor from the Rite Aid on Cooper Point Road, striking an employee in the head with one of the liquor bottles when he was confronted.

At the scene of Samlock's homicide in an homeless encampment off of Cooper Point Road, Olympia police found a broken whisky bottle with a sticker on it reading, "this item intended for sale at Rite Aid..."

After Samlock's homicide, Olympia Police Detective Chris Johnstone obtained surveillance footage from the Rite Aid showing the Oct.12 robbery. In the footage, Curtis is seen exiting the store and hitting a Rite Aid employee in the head with a liquor bottle, court papers state.

During the investigation of Samlock's homicide, witnesses said they saw Curtis hit Samlock over the head with a whisky bottle before he was stabbed. Curtis, who is currently in custody at the Thurston County Jail, was served with an arrest warrant Thursday on suspicion of a new count of first-degree robbery for allegedly stealing the whisky from the Rite Aid.

Jeremy Pawloski: 360-754-5445

jpawloski@theolympian.com