Double Attempted Murder Charge in Bellingham Domestic Attack

BELLINGHAM, Wash. — One person escaped. One person did not.

That is the story at the center of a domestic violence case that landed a Bellingham woman in jail Saturday night on two counts of attempted first-degree murder — charges that carry no bail and no release.

Details from the Bellingham Police Department detail a traumatic experience that began at approximately 4:38 p.m. May 16, as officers rushed to the 2300 block of Lisa Lane. Dispatchers learned that Brenda Doreen Wilder-Brown, 43, had told two people she intended to kill them and had begun to act on that plan.

What Unfolded Inside the Home

According to Bellingham Police, Wilder-Brown did not just threaten. She verbalized a specific plan to kill both victims. Then she followed that threat with action.

She cut the first victim with a knife. She then attempted to strangle that same person. The injuries were serious enough to require a trip to PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center, though investigators later described them as non-life-threatening.

Meanwhile, the second victim managed to get out of the house. That person called 911 and did not sustain physical injuries.

When officers arrived, they found Wilder-Brown still at the scene. They took her into custody without incident.

The Investigation

BPD detectives and crime scene investigators responded to Lisa Lane to work the scene. As the investigation developed, detectives established probable cause for two counts of attempted first-degree murder under the domestic violence designation.

Prosecutors noted that Wilder-Brown satisfied the legal threshold for a “substantial step” toward the crime. She verbalized her intent. She then caused injury to one victim serious enough to require medical intervention. Together, those facts supported the attempted murder charges on both counts.

Before her booking, Wilder-Brown received medical clearance at PeaceHealth St. Joseph for self-inflicted injuries. Officers then transported her to the Whatcom County Jail, where she was booked at 11:48 p.m. under BPD case number 26B16262. No bail.

Still in Custody

Wilder-Brown remains in the Whatcom County Jail without bail Tuesday, with arraignment scheduled for Thursday. PNW Daily will continue to follow the case as it moves through the court system.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, help is available 24 hours a day.

Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or text START to 88788.

For local support in Whatcom County, contact Lighthouse Mission Ministries or reach Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services (DVSAS) at (360) 715-1563.