Chain of Custody & Capture Log — Island County Deed Matter

Matter: Suspected malicious/fraudulent deed filing affecting a cluster of parcels in Island County, WA (Langley / Saratoga area, Whidbey Island).

Subject parcels (owner-associated): - R32905-401-5010 (Parcel 401-5010) — Richard Ryan Rutter — 4927 Katya Ln, Langley, WA 98260 - R32905-400-4740 (Parcel 400-4740) — Arshavir Garibyan — 4924 Katya Ln, Langley, WA 98260

Handling rules: Personal legal records. Kept in a local, git-ignored folder. Not committed to version control and not shared with third parties. Every artifact is logged with its source URL, capture timestamp (UTC/local), and SHA-256 hash for integrity/chain of custody.

Legal note: This is a public-records gathering effort, not legal advice. The attorney and title company will act on the materials.

Log

2026-08-14 — Phase 0: Intake & setup

• Received Malicious_deed.png from user (originally a neighbor-provided PDF, saved as PNG).
• Source: Chicago Title / Sentry Dynamics "geoAdvantage" plat aid, dated 6/29/26 8:36 AM.
• SHA-256: 8367DD95D8C5A4424D59C8A7BCF626C5A76F854C13A1267E77AC324430FD3906 (2,925,128 bytes).
• Content: two red outlines — a large cluster block and a smaller quadrilateral (likely the subject property) just south of Brookhaven Rd.
• Preserved to 01_source-map/Malicious_deed.png; logged as artifact A001.
• Created evidence folder structure and inventory.csv.
• Confirmed evidence/ and Malicious_deed.png are git-ignored (verified via git check-ignore).

2026-08-14 — Phase 1: Georeference map & enumerate affected cluster

• Discovered Island County GIS ArcGIS REST server: https://maps.islandcountywa.gov/arcgis/rest/services (folders: AssessorFiles, Auditor, Basemaps, Planning, PublicWorks, ...). Also noted public viewers: ICGeoMap (https://icgeomap.islandcountywa.gov/Html5Viewer/), Open Data (https://data-islandcountygis.opendata.arcgis.com/), Oblique viewer, and the Assessor/Treasurer Property Access portal (https://assessor.islandcountywa.gov/propertyaccess/).
• Parcel layer used: AssessorFiles/AssessmentLayers/MapServer/4 (fields incl. ParcelNo, PID, legal_desc, total_value). Owner name + situs are NOT in GIS (they live in Property Access/PACS).
• Confirmed BOTH subject parcels in GIS with matching legal descriptions:
• R32905-401-5010 (PID 481106), total value $838,311; centroid ~ -122.44237, 48.03211
• R32905-400-4740 (PID 481044), total value $837,013; centroid ~ -122.44364, 48.03232
• Both map_id 735, neighborhood 4, tax area 712.
• Reconciled road naming: subject parcels front the private lane labeled Katya Lane (OSM), which runs off the E-W road shown as Bayview Road in OSM / "Brookhaven Rd" on the neighbor's title map (the "SLN RD" in the legal). Katya Ln is the "SUB EZ" sub-easement access.
• Georeferenced the neighbor's red rectangle against GIS + OSM road anchors (north = Talka/Lalka Ln ~48.0370; west of Goldsmith Rd; east = Pinewood Cir ~-122.4317; subject = Katya Ln). Estimated rectangle: lon[-122.4500,-122.4317], lat[48.0306,48.0368].
• Enumerated candidate affected parcels (server + centroid classification): 66 centroid-inside + 13 boundary = 79 candidate parcels (incl. 2 subject). Spans multiple plats: R32905-, R32904-, R33033-, and the S7745 "Pinewood Circle" short plat. Saved AFFECTED_parcels_FINAL.csv and AFFECTED_map_FINAL.png (artifacts A005/A006). ESTIMATE — authoritative set must be confirmed from the recorded instrument's legal description/exhibit.*
• Artifacts A002-A006 logged in inventory.csv.

2026-08-14 — Phase 3: Auditor recorded documents (EagleWeb)

• System: Island County Auditor Tyler EagleWeb at https://auditor.islandcountywa.gov/recorder/web/ (public login, no credentials). Document images viewable; certified/printable copies may carry a fee.
• Confirmed subject's legitimate chain via doc 4565727 (WD 10/16/2023 BLOOM ELKE T -> RUTTER RICHARD RYAN, RUTTER KATYA GARIBYAN; indexed Sec 5 Twp 29 Rng 3E).
• Searches performed (all captured):
• Both-Names = RUTTER (36 results): only legit Rutter records; nothing malicious for Richard Ryan.
• Both-Names = GARIBYAN (94 results): family long tied to area; recent items all legit (2023 mortgage/satisfactions).
• Parcel # = R32905-401-5010 (6 docs) and R32905-400-4740: only legitimate chain + mortgages.
• PLSS Section 5 / Twp 29 / Rng 3E, deed types since 2024 (8) and ALL types since 2024 (32): all normal.
• PLSS Section 4 / Twp 29 / Rng 3E, ALL types since 2024 (25): all normal.
• Complete recorded-document index pulled for ALL 79 affected parcels (batched); cross-parcel analysis found NO single instrument tying the cluster together except legitimate easements / boundary-line agreements / developer plats (J&D Builders, CCK Partnership, Goldsmith Road LLC road easement).
• FINDING: No fraudulent/"wild" deed is indexed to the subject parcels, the owners' names, or Sections 4/5. Consistent with (a) a wild deed indexed only under the filer's own name/legal that the recorder could not tie to these parcels, (b) a pending/rejected filing, or (c) a document recorded under a name/description not yet known. Pinpointing it requires the recording/instrument number OR the filer's name OR the underlying document behind the Chicago Title map.
• Evidence saved: 04_recorded-docs/recorded_docs_by_parcel.json, recorded_docs_all.csv.

2026-08-14 — Phase 5: Courts (Washington Courts statewide index)

• Source: https://dw.courts.wa.gov Person Search (covers Island County Superior + all WA courts).
• RICHARD RUTTER: 21 records statewide; NO Island County Superior Court case; Superior matches are old King/Spokane cases (different individuals). No quiet-title/fraud action.
• ARSHAVIR GARIBYAN: 5 records; Island County Superior Court cases 96-3-00312-1, 96-2-00434-5, 97-2-00280-4 — all from 1996-1997 (historical), none related to the 2026 filing.
• Screenshot: 06_court/WAcourts_GARIBYAN_results.png. No current litigation tied to the malicious deed.

2026-08-14 — Phase 6: Package for attorney & title company

• Captured official recording-detail pages for the subjects' current title instruments: Rutter WD 4565727 (04_recorded-docs/SUBJECT_deed_4565727_detail.png) and Garibyan Decree of Dissolution 4383543 (SUBJECT_deed_4383543_detail.png; awards Lot 1 SP 79/192 to Arshavir Garibyan).
• Book/Page 383/4650 (parent ref) and SP 79-192 predate EagleWeb's electronic index -> obtain from the Auditor's microfilm/plat room by request.
• Generated FILE_HASHES.csv (SHA-256 for all 32 evidence files) and wrote 99_package/00_SUMMARY_MEMO.md (findings + recommended next steps + contacts) for the attorney and title company.
• Name-sweep todo BLOCKED pending a recording number or filer/entity name (no fraudulent instrument located via exhaustive owner/parcel/section searches).

2026-08-14 (eve) — Round 2: additional sources (user-requested)

• Chicago Title: chicagotitle.com -> premier.ctic.com (Okta professional login); no public search. Documented as the best lead for the recording number/copy + owner's-policy fraud claim path.
• WA SOS CCFS (https://ccfs.sos.wa.gov): vetted Goldsmith Road LLC (grantee of easement #4595620 across cluster) — UBI 604 929 262, ACTIVE, formed 06/21/2022, agent/governor James Baker, 2500 6th Ave N Apt 3 Seattle. Legit road-access entity. Note: CCFS Angular form requires REAL key events to bind the search box (programmatic value-set fails). Screenshot A014.
• Plat/survey: EagleWeb located parent-area Survey #3998621 (04/23/1979, Bk 4/Pg 385, Grantor GLEASON DICK, NE/NE Sec 5 T29 R3E) — subject block / SP 79-192 family. Detail A015; image PDF at viewAttachment docName 03998621.001. Book 383/Pg 4650 not in EagleWeb book/page index (older conversion) -> Auditor plat/microfilm room.
• Treasurer/tax: Property Access shows 2026-27 rates N/A (not certified); no tax lien/foreclosure against subjects in the recording index.
• Courts: Odyssey portal = same Island Superior data already covered by dw.courts.wa.gov (no current case). PACER only if federal suspected.
• Digital Archives: live, historical; redundant with EagleWeb for recordings.
• Planning/SmartGov: host islandcounty.smartgovcommunity.com exists but public permit-search path unresolved this session; permit/BLA history is not a fraud indicator; request from Community Development if needed.
• Wrote 07_name-sweep/ROUND2_additional_sources.md; appended memo Section 9; artifacts A014-A016.

2026-08-15 — Phase 7: Fraud identified (originating communication received)

• User provided Island County Auditor communication naming the scheme. Established facts:
• Island County Sheriff fraud case #26-I10572, POC Det. Bo Miller.
• Perpetrators: Douglas Shroyer (filer), Elizabeth Schermer, Irene Ingalls; notary John S. Hicks #194569. LAR submitted via Prosecutor (through Auditor S. Crider) to quiet the two QCDs. Auditor contact: Mariah Warren-Madsen, 360-679-7368.
• Searched the already-scraped 2025-2026 index (23,561 docs): found the fraudulent instruments, two annotated by the County as "INVALID DEED":
• #4583923 QCD Irene Ingalls (120 ac, Secs 32/33 T30N R3E).
• #4583924 QCD Elizabeth A. Schermer (171.30 ac, Lots 3,4 & SW/NW Sec 4; Lot 1 Sec 5 T29N R3E).
• #4582708 QCD Douglas Shroyer (577.70 ac, Secs 29/32/33 T30N R3E) + supporting notices/decls.
• Downloaded + OCR'd (Azure Document Intelligence, cost-tracked) all fraud instruments -> confirmed sovereign-citizen "land-patent" template, grantor=grantee, same notary. Indexed into the dedicated Azure Search index island-county-deed; content search ('land patent'+'quitclaim') returns them.
• Paul Neis property R32905-532-4810 (Sec 5 T29N R3E; owners Paul A. Neis & Stephanie Madsen-Neis; clean BECU chain) falls within Schermer QCD #4583924 — same cluster as the subject parcels.
• WA Courts person search (user solved reCAPTCHA in a visible browser): no Island County case yet for any perpetrator (matter at investigation/LAR stage). Background hits recorded in COURT_findings.md.
• Wrote STRATEGY_secure_legal_documents.md (Auditor certified copies, Sheriff victim statement, Prosecutor LAR, court monitoring, title-insurance claim + denial letter, attorney/quiet-title).