OKANOGAN COUNTY, Wash. – It was November 17, 2017 when life as they knew it forever changed for the many loved ones of Clarence ‘Shag’ Hauf. The 82-year-old was found beaten and stabbed to death. The killer then set the home on fire.
“He knew what he was doing, he knew he was going to murder my father,” said the victim’s daughter Penny Hauf Tverberg. “He took a knife, a sledgehammer, he burned down the homestead.”
Court officials say the admitted killer, Jared Fudge, who was 27 years old at the time, was found not guilty of first-degree aggravated murder, arson, burglary and theft of a motor vehicle by reason of insanity. Since the court’s findings in 2019, Fudge has been under the custody and supervision of DSHS.
He was originally placed at Eastern State Hospital but moved to Maple Lane in spring of 2024. They recently opened a wing for not guilty by reason of insanity patients.
Under Washington Law, Fudge can petition for conditional release through a Staff Escorted Community Outing ‘SECO.’ The family was notified Fudge is doing this and they are prepared to fight it in court. The initial phase of his petition is beginning on May 28 when a trial date regarding the petition will be set.
“We don’t have a life,” Penny said. “We’re staying afloat…but our emotions are up and down all the time.”
Penny and her sister Pam say their family has never spoken publicly about the murder but want to now to shed light on their overwhelming grief and continued battles for justice.
“We just need closure,” she said. “This is not right.”
Penny and Pam describe their dad as a big ‘teddy bear’ and a ‘pillar of the community.’
“Everybody knew who he was…here’s come Shag…that’s his nickname,” Penny said.
Shag loved his people, loved his land. Even at 82, he still kept busy.
“My dad had a farm, a ranch, and he needed help,” she said.
That’s how Jared Fudge entered his life. Shag’s daughters say the arrangement for him to help out on the property was short-lived.
“Because of (Jared Fudge’s) aggressive behavior, for example he chocked his dog to death,” she said.
“(Fudge) also did some horrible things to a steer,” Pam said. “That’s when dad said you’re not welcome here.”
Tensions only continued to escalate.
“We got a restraining order,” Pam said.
The family says they were all living in fear of Jared Fudge. It was in the middle of the night in November of 2017 when those fears became their reality.
“He kicked in the door and brutally, not just…it was brutal,” Penny said of the murder they describe as overkill. “There was a machete, there was a sledge hammer.”
Investigators say Fudge then set the home on fire. He was arrested that same night.
“He took the machete… was cleaning it off in the river when they approached him,” Penny said.
That’s when they say their legal nightmare officially began.
“I wanted to go to trial,” Penny said.
But the family says they were assured a not guilty be reason of insanity plea would be the best outcome and keep Fudge from hurting someone else. Since 2019, Fudge has remained on the forensic side of the system at a state hospital.
“We were told in the beginning, he would go to Eastern and never get out,” the daughters said.
For anything, or so they thought. But then, Fudge was transferred to a facility called Maple Lane in Centralia. They recently opened a wing for not guilty by reason of insanity patients.
“We were notified he has a right to ask to go on outings,” Penny said.
Officially known as a ‘Staff Escorted Community Outing.’ An example of a recent one was a trip to Goodwill.
The Okanogan County Prosecutor Albert H. Lin told Nonstop Local KHQ via email that his ‘office is opposed to the SECO.’ He added that ‘because this is a pending case, (he) had no further comment.’
The family says they are left in a continued state of limbo and grief.
“Who wants to keep going through this,” Penny said. This is not right…he knew what he did.”
Where their father once lived and then was taken, now stands a memorial. It’s a place his daughters go to when they need the strength and comfort only their father can give.
“I just wish justice for my dad was justice,’ Penny said.
The family says they will be at every court hearing voicing their opposition to any outings. Nonstop Local KHQ will continue to follow this case.
