By Brenda Starkey
Chronicle staff

     Bond was set at $750,000 Friday, Oct. 24, for Cory Monaghan, 35, who is being charged with first-degree murder in the death of Jeremy Karavias, 19, and first-degree arson for a fire that destroyed a single-wide mobile home on Art Creek Road near Malo.
     Both men were from south King County, according to Ferry County prosecutor Mike Sandona. Monaghan is being held under guard at Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane.
     Monaghan and Karavias arrived at the Art Creek home of Ronald Wessel Oct. 20, the day before the incident, according to a probable cause statement read into the Ferry County Superior Court record Oct. 24. Wessel is Monaghan's uncle.
     Wessel described his relationship with Monaghan as distant because of a long history of arguments with Monaghan's family, according to the statement.
     He apparently was uneasy with his nephew's presence in his home and slept with a handgun that night, the statement continued.
     Monaghan allegedly smoked medicinal marijuana Tuesday morning, and Wessel pointed out some areas where the two visitors could hunt, according to the statement.
     As the pair were preparing to leave, Wessel could see Karavias holding an assault rifle by the top carrying handle, according to the statement. He then heard a single gun shot and watched Karavias grab his chest, the statement continued.
     Wessel called 911 and handed the phone to Monaghan, the prosecutor alleged. wessel then observed Monaghan apply a headlock to Karavias and heard the younger man's neck crack three times, the statement alleged.
     Wessel, fearing for his own life, retrieved his handgun from his bedroom, according to the statement. He then observed Monaghan kneeling over Karavias with a large knife, which he gripped as if he were going to gut the younger man, according to the probably cause statement.
     Wessel told investigators he immediately ran from the residence - unknown to Monaghan, who later was observed by U.S. Border Patrol agents in a helicopter as fleeing the residence. They observed smoke coming from the building at that time, according to the statement.
     Monaghan was later apprehended by Border Patrol agents, Ferry County sheriff's deputies and the Washington State Patrol, the statement continued.
     He allegedly told arresting officers there were two bodies inside the burning residence.
     Monaghan was transported to Ferry County Memorial Hospital, Republic, and then flown to Sacred Heart Medical Center with unspecified injuries.
     Monaghan's arraignment is scheduled for 10 a.m. Nov. 7 in Ferry County Superior Court, according to court documents.