Tragic End For Enumclaw Men As Close As Brothers

By Carly Flandro and Mike Lindblom
Seattle Times staff reporters

ENUMCLAW — Steven D. Relford called his mother several times Saturday night — his 20th birthday — to tell her he was OK and to promise he wouldn't drive drunk.

He kept that promise, she says. After celebrating his birthday with friends, he decided to ride a bicycle the few blocks to his Enumclaw home.

But about 2:10 a.m. Sunday, Relford was struck and killed by a pickup driven by Geoffrey M. Godley, 24, according to Sgt. John Urquhart, a spokesman for the King County Sheriff's Office. Once Godley saw who the victim was, he then shot and killed himself, Urquhart said.

Godley was one of Relford's best friends and had been celebrating with him that night, according to Linda Relford, Steven's mother.

"They knew each other like brothers and sisters. That's why this thing turned tragic with Geoff taking his life," said Relford's father, Gary Relford.

Godley's 27-year-old cousin was in the pickup's passenger seat, according to Urquhart. He said they had been at a bar before the crash.

"Alcohol use on the part of the driver is believed to be a contributing factor," Urquhart said.

Another vehicle was passing the pickup at the time, so Godley's attention could have been focused on the vehicle instead of on the cyclist just ahead, said Urquhart. The incident occurred on 228th Avenue Southeast near Southeast 444th Street, near Farmers Park on the Enumclaw plateau.

Linda Relford said the situation was "absolutely tragic," but said she had no hard feelings toward Godley.

She said her son and Godley had been friends for years and did "boy stuff" together, like going to rodeos or being outdoors.

She described Godley as a "great kid" who had been over to the house frequently the week before, helping her husband put new brakes on his truck.

She said her son was a jokester nicknamed "Loaf" by his friends, and was known throughout Enumclaw. He loved to hunt and had been working at a local dairy.

"He had a huge heart," she said. "He has impacted many people's lives."

On Saturday night, Linda said her family had a party for Steven. He left the house around 8 p.m. to celebrate at a friend's house, she said. She remembers him calling her at 11 p.m. and midnight to check in, telling her he had a designated driver.

"He just knew I was worried," she said.

Gary Relford said his son and his friends were all tightly knit, like most in their small community.

Bob Wetzel, a dairyman who knew both young men who died, said they were close friends who had traveled together for vacations.

Wetzel said Relford and Godley were country kids, who liked to hunt and fish and would "do anything for you."

Relford "was like my fourth kid," Wetzel said, and worked doing chores and odd jobs around the house and dairy.

Friends of the two young men have created a makeshift memorial at the scene, leaving notes, cans of chewing tobacco, sunflowers, a balloon of a cow and a small Confederate flag.

Ron Mariotti, owner of Enumclaw Sales Pavilion, said that Sunday morning, about 40 people were at the crash scene. Mariotti invited them in for a free breakfast at his cafe up the road.

The sheriff's investigation is continuing.