Cops still lacking a solution in Freeland murder
Published 6:00 pm Saturday, April 10, 2004
Two Island County homicides remain unsolved. For Island County Sheriff’s detectives, these are two cases in which they are tiring of the mysteries.
Four months after the homicide of Russel Douglas in Freeland and Tamara M. Mattson, on Camano Island, Island County Sheriff’s detectives are still searching for clues, interviewing people who may have known the victims, and in the case of Douglas, waiting for forensic evidence to be analyzed by the state crime lab in Marysville.
The homicides, which are unrelated, occurred within several weeks of one another, and sent detectives into overdrive to solve them.
Mike Beech, detective commander for the Island County Sheriff’s office said Thursday that the sheriff’s office is doing its best.
“We are working both cases hard.”
In the case of Douglas, detectives are waiting — not patiently — for information from the state.
Douglas, 32, was found shot to death in his car, a 2003 Chevrolet yellow Geo Tracker about 4:30 p.m. Dec. 27 in a driveway on Wahl Road of Freeland. Detectives believe he was shot the previous evening. An autopsy indicated he was shot to death with a .38-caliber pistol. The shell casing was found in the car.
“We are basically in a holding pattern now for new evidence on the Douglas case,“ Beech said.
Beech said trace evidence from Douglas himself and the scene is being processed at the state crime lab in Marysville.
“For now we are at a standstill, just reviewing what we’ve done to date, until we have the DNA evidence retrieved from Douglas.
Beech expressed frustration at a recent news report that Seattle police had solved a number of “cold cases” thanks to DNA evidence. He said he would like to see the state lab work as quickly on new cases like Douglas’.
Sheriff’s detectives have also called for assistance from a blood spatter expert from the Redmond Police Department who is analyzing photographs and reports from the scene.
Detectives put in a number of hours of overtime during the two months after Douglas was killed, serving a number of search warrants including, Douglas’ e-mail accounts and and telephone companies. They also searched his Renton apartment.
Douglas’ homicide is not believed by law enforcement to be a random event. Douglas, a former Langley resident and father of two, had been visiting family on South Whidbey for the Christmas holidays. He had been seen by witnesses in the Wahl Road area on Dec. 26. Detectives believe he was shot sometime that night.
Another homicide occurred several weeks earlier on Dec. 9 when the body of Tamara M. Mattson, a 39-year-old Snohomish county woman was discovered on a trail at Camano Island State Park. The victim, who was found clothed, had suffered traumatic injuries to her head and neck. Detectives have spent time in Snohomish County interviewing people who may have known the victim.
Det. Beech said his office is still gathering information in the Mattson case.
“People are still coming forward with information about the victim.”
Beech said he expects this will lead to a solution in her case.
INFO BOX
Two murders remain unsolved in Island County
DNA evidence being processed by state crime lab
