Suspect in Pierce County cold case found in Everett care facility

Published 9:46 am Friday, April 3, 2026

EVERETT — More than 30 years after a Pierce County woman was found dead in her home, deputies located the suspect in an Everett care facility

In November of 1992, Janice Randle was found dead on her bed with her young daughter in a crib nearby, according to a Pierce County Sheriff’s Office’s social media post. Her estranged husband told authorities she had likely overdosed because she had a history of using painkillers.

The pair was going through a divorce and living separately, the post said.

Authorities treated the initial investigation as a death investigation and a possible overdose, the post said. Later, autopsy reports showed no drugs in Randle’s system at the time of her death.

The case became a homicide investigation, “but only breadcrumbs of information could be pieced together,” and there was not enough evidence to establish probable cause for an arrest, the post said.

When family members came forward with new information and witnessed confessions from Randle’s estranged husband, investigators reviewed the cold case with “a new bird’s-eye view,” the post said. Investigators believe Randle died as a result of a violent struggle with her estranged husband.

Pierce County Sheriff’s Office deputies established probable cause for the now 68-year-old man living in a care facility in Everett and arrested him on Wednesday, the post said.

On Thursday, he pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in Pierce County Superior Court, KOMO-TV reported.

A superior court judge set his bail to $1 million, according to court documents.

Jenna Millikan: 425-339-3035; jenna.millikan@heraldnet.com. X: @JennaMillikan