Mike Clayton was 19 when he was killed in Auburn, Washington, in the summer of 2016. On July 6 a mobile home he shared with his father was reported fully engulfed in flames; firefighters could not enter. His body was found in the charred remains the next day, and an autopsy showed he had been shot to death before the fire.

Investigators recovered shell casings and a rifle stock near the back of the home. The killing was tied to retaliation for a prior physical fight in which Clayton had injured an acquaintance, Dylan Mullins. Authorities identified Mullins and Sebastian Gregg as the primary suspects; the two allegedly lay in wait in the mobile home, shot Clayton when he returned, then set the residence on fire and stole a Kent Parks Department truck to flee. They were stopped in Grays Harbor County and guns taken from the Clayton home were found in the vehicle. Both men confessed and were charged with first-degree murder, first-degree arson, and first-degree burglary. Mullins received a 35-year sentence and Gregg, who was 17 at the time but charged as an adult, received 37 years.

Does anyone have additional details about Clayton’s life in Auburn or knew him or his family and can share information that might help others understand his story?