Court Appearance Leads to Immediate Detention James Carnagey, 63, was brought before a Pierce County Superior Court judge on Monday and ordered held without bail pending further hearings, with a bail hearing scheduled for next week [1]. Prosecutors had moved for his detention, and the judge granted the request promptly. The appearance marks the first formal judicial proceeding since his arrest following the Herron Island killings [1].

Triple Aggravated Murder Charges and Not‑Guilty Plea Carnagey faces three counts of aggravated murder for the deaths of his estranged wife, Wendy Walker Carnagey, 64, and her boyfriend, Chad Malloy, 39 [1]. He entered a not‑guilty plea during the hearing, signaling that the case will proceed to trial. The charges stem from a fatal stabbing that occurred in late 2025 on Herron Island [1].

Bodies Discovered on Private Island After Missing‑Person Reports Pierce County deputies found the victims on Dec. 11, 2025 at a home on Herron Island, a community of roughly 150 residents off the Key Peninsula [1]. The investigation began after Malloy’s family reported he had not been heard from and missed work, prompting a police response. The discovery triggered a multi‑agency effort that eventually led to Carnagey’s capture [1].

Extensive Domestic‑Violence History Preceded the Murders Court records reveal Carnagey lived upstairs while Wendy lived downstairs, with multiple police reports documenting abuse and at least four no‑contact orders issued for her protection [1]. Eight days before the bodies were found, Wendy placed a 911 call reporting a domestic‑violence incident involving Carnagey [1]. This history underscores the longstanding pattern of violence that culminated in the homicides [1].

Manhunt Ends in SWAT Breach; Suspect Self‑Injures One day after the bodies were discovered, investigators located Carnagey at a motel in Kent [1]. When SWAT officers attempted contact, he injured himself with a knife, prompting a forced entry and his subsequent hospitalization [1]. After receiving medical care, he was booked into jail, where he remains pending further proceedings [1].