Cory James Monaghan of Ravensdale is being held in Ferry County Jail in eastern Washiongton on $1.5 million bail in connection with the murder of a man while on a purported hunting trip.

Bail had originally been set at $750,000 on Oct. 23, but Ferry County prosecutor Michael Sandona requested the increase in bail today after learning that Monaghan attempted to escape from custody after his initial arrest and might be planning to break out of the Ferry County Jail.

“Upon learning of this escape attempt, the defendant’s extended family has voiced their concerns for their own safety,” Sedona said in court documents.

Monaghan, 35, who has been in the jail since Oct. 25, is charged with killing Jeremy Karavias while visiting his uncle, Ronald Wessel in Malo, a small town off State Route 21 in northeastern Washington not far from the Canada or Idaho borders.

In addition to first-degree murder, Monaghan has been charged with arson and second-degree escape in connection with a fire at his uncle’s house and an alleged effort to flee a hospital where he was taken by police for medical treatment.

An investigator’s report said that Monaghan and Karavias arrived at Wessel’s property unannounced. Wessell hadn’t seen Monaghan, his nephew, in a number of years and hadn’t met Karavias before. Monaghan told Wessel they had come to the area to hunt, authorities said.

Wessel said he felt nervous but invited the pair to stay at his home. He noticed that Monaghan brought an array of weapons including a knife, a hand gun and an assault rifle, according to authorities.

That night, Wessel slept in his room with a handgun because of Monaghan’s odd behavior throughout the evening. Karavias slept in Monaghan’s truck, while Monaghan slept on the couch in Wessel’s home, prosecutors said.

As Monaghan and Karavias were preparing to leave the next morning, “Wessel saw (Karavias) standing and holding the assault rifle by the top carrying handle in his right hand but he did not have Cory (Monaghan) in his line of vision,” court documents stated. Monaghan was near the front door, Wessel told authorities.

“Wessel stated that he heard a single gun shot and watched Jeremy grab his chest and say, ‘Cory, Cory,'” charging papers stated. “Jeremy (Karavias) then dropped to his knees and laid down. Wessel went and took the gun away from Cory, removed the magazine and threw the gun under the china cabinet. Cory told his uncle that (the victim) pointed the gun at him.”

Wessel said based on the way Karavias was holding the gun from his point of view, that wasn’t true. He then called 9-1-1 and reported the shooting, authorities said. After calling police, Wessel allegedly watched his nephew kneel down behind Karavias, apply a headlock and then break Karavias’ neck. Wessel said he fled with his handgun.

A U.S. Border Patrol helicopter went to the scene and its crew commanded Monaghan to surrender. Shortly after this, Monaghan ran from Wessel’s home, which was at that point engulfed in flames, authorities said. The fire allegedly was set in an attempt to kill Wessel, who had left.

Monaghan was apprehended by members of the Border Patrol and officers from the Ferry County Sheriff Office and Washington State Patrol. He was found with burns on his hands and singed hair on his head. While he was being X-rayed at Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane, Monaghan attempted to escape from police custody, authorities said.

Staff writer Kris Hill can be reached at (425) 432-1209 (extension 5054) and khill@reporternewspapers.com