Father finds son fatally shot in home near Mill Creek

The Snohomish County Sheriff's Office is investigating the death of a 43-year-old Mill Creek-area man, who was found in his home by his father early Wednesday.

Gary Porter, 64, said he got a call from the body shop where his son, Chris Porter, worked, saying he didn't show up that morning.

Gary Porter went next door to his son's house near the intersection of 146th Street Southeast and Meridian Drive Southeast.

He said he found his son lying in a pool of blood just inside the front door. The door was "kicked in," Gary Porter said, and he found two bullet shells on the floor near the body. He said his son had no pulse when he checked.

The Sheriff's Office released few details Wednesday about the death, saying that it was "due to homicidal violence" and that it didn't appear to be a random act.

"We are collecting evidence inside, we'll be collecting it the rest of the day," sheriff's spokesman Rich Niebusch said.

"I'm sure we will develop leads based on the information we collect."

Gary Porter said his son, an auto detailer nicknamed "Hopper," was alone in the house when he was shot. "Everybody loved him, you know. It's pissing me off," Gary Porter said, holding back tears.

Over the course of the day, many family members gathered in Gary Porter's house in a residential neighborhood just west of Mill Creek city limits.

Gary Porter said his son was recently separated from his wife, but she was mourning with the family yesterday as well.

Brian Alexander: 425-745-7845 or balexander@seattletimes.com