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The 21-year-old convicted of murdering Tyler A. Reeves near Stan Hedwall Park in Chehalis was sentenced to 24 years in prison in Lewis County Superior Court on Wednesday.
Connor J. Price pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree murder during a hearing on May 29. He’s been in custody in the Lewis County Jail since his arrest on May 5.
The sentence, imposed by Judge Paul Strophy, includes three years of community custody, $7,990 in restitution and a requirement that Price complete chemical dependency evaluation and treatment.
Prior to the judge’s sentencing, Chief Deputy Prosecutor William Halstead requested a sentence of 270 months — or 22 and a half years — in prison, followed by three years of community custody, as agreed upon by the prosecution and defense.
Price is represented by defense attorney Don Blair.
Halstead said that, no matter the court’s decision, it would not “fix the hole” that’s been left in the hearts of the victim’s family members sitting behind him.
Halstead described Reeves’ murder as a “pretty brutal way to die,” saying Price beat Reeves to death with “basically a log.”
“All this happened because Mr. Price believed that Mr. Reeves had done something to another individual, and he didn’t like what Mr. Reeves allegedly did,” Halstead said.
Halstead acknowledged Price’s “willingness to cooperate with law enforcement,” including admitting to killing Reeves. He said Price assisted law enforcement at the scene.
The prosecutor asked the court to take Price’s age into account. Halstead added that he’d also spent “quite a bit of time” with the victim’s family discussing what they wanted for a sentence.
Halstead said he and Blair had no reason to believe Price had a learning disability.
Reeves’ stepfather, Patrick Tiekamp, then read a statement to the court on behalf of Reeves’ family.
“Nothing could have prepared us for this day,” Tiekamp said. “Our son was taken from us.”
Tiekamp said the circumstances of Reeves’ murder have made the grief “even more unbearable.”
“He had a smile that could brighten a room, a future filled with possibilities,” Tiekamp said.
Tiekamp said Reeves considered Price a friend, someone he trusted.
“Instead of protecting Tyler when he was unconscious and defenseless, Connor attacked him,” Tiekamp said.
Tiekamp said the family later learned that Price had returned and found Reeves alive, begging for help. Instead of showing “even the smallest amount of humanity,” Tiekamp said, Price stomped Reeves until he died.
“Our family has been shattered,” Tiekamp said. “Grief is present every day.”
Tiekamp said the knowledge of the “unimaginable violence” will remain with the family for the rest of their lives.
“Tyler was not a headline,” Tiekamp said. “ He was not simply evidence in a criminal case. He was our child. He was deeply loved. He mattered. His life had value.”
At multiple points, Tiekamp stopped reading his statement, as Blair and Price appeared to be engaged in a conversation with each other. Blair later apologized for the interruption.
Blair described the case as “heavily negotiated,” and said, like Halstead, that he had not observed any “deficiencies” in Price’s intellect.
Blair also noted that Price had been cooperative with law enforcement.
“He did not try to run or hide from what he did,” Blair said, adding that Price “knew he’d be going to prison.”
“It is a tragedy. I think everybody is suffering,” Blair said.
Blair said he actually understood Price’s “reasoning,” and indicated that Price’s allegations against Reeves might have had some merit, according to a “follow-up investigation” Blair said was conducted by detectives.
According to the probable cause affidavit filed by the Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office, Price said “he did this act alone and had done it because he had just found out that (Reeves) had raped a 16-year-old girl.”
“But still, that’s not an excuse, and Connor knows that,” Blair said on Wednesday.
According to state court records, Reeves had never been charged or convicted of rape.
Blair said he believes Price regrets what he did.
When given the chance to speak, Price said to the family, “All I have to say is that I want you guys to know that I’m sorry, and I’m very sorry. I mean that.”
Before making his ruling, Strophy offered his “deepest condolences” to Reeves’ family, friends and loved ones, and said “there is no amount of time or penalty” he could impose that would bring Reeves back.
Soon after, the judge sentenced Price to 288 months — or 24 years — in prison.
Strophy said he’d considered the agreed-upon recommendation of 270 months, as well as youth being a mitigating factor, when making his decision.
The judge, paraphrasing the fictional detective Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch from Michael Connelly’s series of novels, said, “They either all matter or nobody matters.”
“And so, regardless of what Mr. Reeves may have been accused of, we have a justice system,” Strophy said.
He added later, “We don’t allow vigilante justice.”
Strophy said he hoped Price can mature and take advantage of the resources provided by the state Department of Corrections.
The judge later noted the “cruelty” of Price’s actions.
“That has got to be one of the most horrifying ways to die,” Strophy said.
According to court documents, Price’s standard sentencing range was 240 to 320 months in prison. Such ranges are calculated based on the defendant’s criminal history and the severity of the crime. He faced a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Price had no felony history prior to his murder conviction, though he’d been convicted of fourth-degree assault, third-degree malicious mischief and disorderly conduct.
He originally pleaded not guilty to the single murder count during an arraignment on May 14.
Following his change of plea, Judge Paul Strophy ordered a no-bail hold pending Price’s sentencing. Price was previously held on $5 million bail.
In his written guilty plea statement filed on May 29, Price said he committed the murder with “premeditated intent” on April 29.
The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office arrested Price on May 5, hours after deputies discovered Reeves’ body near the train tracks and Newaukum River, next to Stan Hedwall Park.
Detectives quickly identified Price as a person of interest after speaking with multiple sources. A deputy located Price and arrested him for his two active warrants.
According to the probable cause affidavit, Price told detectives he “did it” and said he “stomped” the victim.
Price said he’d found Reeves on April 29 “passed out drunk” on a trail by the train tracks.
He went on to strike the victim with his foot and a stick.
According to the lead detective’s statement, which was included in the affidavit, Price said he dragged the victim “by the hands” to a nearby area, left for a few minutes, and then returned to find the victim “holding onto a tree and saying something to the effect of ‘help me.’”
Price continued his attack. He stomped on the victim’s head, and hit him with a larger stick.
According to the affidavit, detectives at the scene said Reeves was unrecognizable. His only identifying feature was the tattoo on his chest.
Prosecutors charged Price with murder on May 6. His address was listed as “transient” in the charging information.
The location where Reeves was murdered was considered part of a homeless encampment.
On May 8, Lewis County Coroner Warren McLeod confirmed Reeves, 33, of Chehalis, had died of blunt force trauma to the head. McLeod said the manner of death was homicide.
Court documents indicate Reeves was sentenced on Sept. 23, 2025, to one year and a day in prison after making Alford and Barr pleas to one count of third-degree assault of a child and three counts of third-degree assault.
Reeves had initially been charged with six counts of first-degree possession of depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit content, as previously reported by The Chronicle.
To read previous coverage on the murder case, visit https://tinyurl.com/mr48p7tm.
