'Stephen guiding us': Hood River vigil honors slain man
HOOD RIVER, Ore. (KOIN) -- Stephen Hayes was a joy to work with, said Suzanne Wright Baumhackl, the co-owner of Solstice Woodfire Pizza in Hood River.
Hayes, 38, was a bartender and server at Solstice, which was closed Monday to mourn his sudden death Friday afternoon.
Hayes confronted two people and possibly a third who were trying to steal a bike from his car. When the thief sped away in a white truck, Hayes was hit and “mortally injured." Officers found him lying in the road near 5th and June Street around 3:45 p.m.
At that spot, a memorial to Hayes with flowers and chalk-written messages popped up. Baumhackl said Hayes was taken all too soon.
"You cannot prepare for something like this, and we don't know what to do. But the only thing we can do is come together," she said. "So we're just really putting out an invitation for people to come together because I believe that the fear and the pain really can be softened a little bit by just being together in community. So I think Steven is guiding us, and that's what he would want and do something about."
Eyes filled with tears. Smiles spread across faces as they shared their memories of Stephen Hayes.
"We're going to carry his beautiful spirit with us for a long time," Baumhackl said. "We just want to show them that the community comes out when bad things happen."
Friends began a GoFundMe for Stephen Hayes' family
Hood River County Sheriff’s Office said on Sunday that William Edward Hardy Jr. and Elizabeth June Bowman were both charged with second-degree murder, two counts of first-degree robbery, first-degree theft and unauthorized use of a vehicle in connection with Hayes' death.
Court documents named a third person in connection with the deadly theft, and Hood River County District Attorney Matt Ellis confirmed to KOIN 6 News Johnathon Matthews is being sought by authorities.
Hardy, who court documents say is homeless and has general delivery to The Dalles, and Bowman, a Hood River resident, were arrested on Saturday. It’s unclear where they were arrested at this time.