Lake Stevens woman found dead in her home

Boyfriend facing second degree murder charges BY PAM STEVENS | EDITOR Lake Stevens Police arrested a man early Sunday morning in connection to the death of his girlfriend. He was booked into the Snohomish County jail on second degree murder charges.

Lake Stevens Police and emergency aide units were called to the scene on the 21st block of 117th Ave. NE on Saturday night around 11:30 p.m. where they found an “unconscious woman”. The emergency aide unit tried unsuccessfully to revive the woman.

“It was initially reported that no one knew how she passed away and there were no apparent signs of death,” Chief Randy Celori said.

Other family members of both the victim and the suspect were at the house at the time of the murder and were taken in for questioning.

“A couple of residents were detained and taken to the police station for questioning,” Celori said. “We do know there was a verbal altercation between a few of the family members.”.

The female, a 41-year-old woman and her 45-year-old boyfriend were currently estranged. The woman had a no contact order in place at the time of her death.

“After a cursory check of the property, we found a male hiding in the trailer,” Celori said. “Through independent witness statements, we found it was the boyfriend.”

Police notified the medical examiner and the Washington State Crime Lab came to process the scene. It was later discovered that the victim had been strangled.

“We are well acquainted with the house through other domestic violence issues,” Celori reported.

Neighbors say that the home has been known for having problems in the past. Police units have been to the home on several occasions.

Jeff Walton, a neighbor of the victim stated that when he moved into the neighborhood eight months ago he was informed about the excessive drinking and abuse that went on in that house.

“Neighbors warned me about the man being quite the alcoholic and that they each had restraining orders against the other,” Walton said.

Another neighbor said that he had seen the victim gardening and picking up her mail the day of the murder.

Neighbors were not surprised that something like this could happen in that home however they are still shocked that it happened in this community.

“This stuff doesn’t happen in Lake Stevens,” one neighbor claimed.

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