Tacoma family demands murder charge after home invasion robbery heart attack death

PIERCE COUNTY, Wash. — William Meredith Jr., known to his family as Billy, spent nearly a month comatose in a hospital after a man identified as Christopher Gallagher allegedly stormed into his Tacoma home Oct. 26th.

>> Suspect stabbed in attempted home invasion

“The intruder came in the back door and put a gun to my mom’s head,” said Meredith’s sister Julie. “My brother heard some commotion, so he walked in the kitchen and seen what was going on and grabbed the guy and they started wrestling around.”

Billy Meredith suffered a heart attack during the fight. He died after he was taken off life support last week. At this point, Gallagher faces charges of burglary and robbery. Julie Meredith said he should be charged for her brother's death, as well.

“I’m hoping that he gets murder charges brought up on him. That’s what we’re hoping. We want justice for my brother,” Julie Meredith said. “Because it never would have happened if the guy didn’t come in the house with the gun.”

Julie Meredith says her mother and son stabbed and injured the 48-year-old Gallagher before police arrived and arrested him.   She said no one in the family knows him or why he targeted their family.

The Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney's Office released a statement to KIRO 7 about the family's demand that Gallagher face a murder charge, stating; “Before making a final charging decision in this case, we will be considering the totality of this incident, including the victim's subsequent death.”

“I think that’s great. I hope they decide to charge him,” Julie Meredith said.

Gallagher is being held in the Pierce County Jail on $1 million bail.

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