2 accused of lighting man on fire at Olympia encampment

2 accused of lighting man on fire at Olympia encampment, killing him

Two men are facing multiple felony charges after police say they set a man on fire at an Olympia homeless encampment, causing injuries that eventually killed him.

OLYMPIA, Wash. - Two men are facing multiple felony charges after police say they set a man on fire at an Olympia homeless encampment, causing injuries that eventually killed him.

Christopher "Mouse" Snyder, 31, pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, first-degree assault, first-degree arson, intimidating a witness, and possession, manufacture, or disposal of an incendiary device.

The other suspect, Kevin "No Shirt Kevin" Hinzpeter, is charged with first-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault, and using an incendiary device. Those charges could be amended by prosecutors to match Snyder's charges.

According to court documents, the two men set Zebediah Schoening on fire at an encampment referred to as "The Jungle," located near Martin Way East and Ensign Road Northeast. The incident happened on October 8, 2024.

Officers responded to the encampment after receiving reports of a man that was severely burned and covered in "homemade napalm." Witnesses allegedly told police that Schoening was screaming, and that someone had thrown something at him.

One officer spotted Schoening, describing him as blistered and bleeding across his entire body. Court documents state Schoening told the officer that "No Shirt Kevin" did this by throwing gasoline on him.

Schoening was hospitalized just over two weeks before he died from his injuries on Oct. 25.

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At the scene, another officer spotted a burnt shirt, blood, and a plastic Mountain Dew bottle that smelled like gasoline, according to court documents.

After interviewing witnesses, police believed Snyder and Hinzpeter walked into Schoening's camp, said something to the effect of "F--k you Zeb," and threw something on him that was on fire. Schoening then went into a tent and said "Kevin lit the yard on fire, and he tried putting it out, and then he lit me on fire," according to law enforcement.

Snyder and Hinzpeter both pleaded not guilty to their charges on Tuesday. Their pretrial hearing is scheduled for November 20.