Ricin investigators take another look at house in Everett
Published 10:04 pm Tuesday, June 9, 2009
EVERETT — Investigators on Tuesday afternoon returned to gather more evidence at a home where ricin was found last week.
Officers were first called to the home after a domestic violence complaint. The husband and wife both were hospitalized.
Everett police and the FBI later found traces of ricin, a deadly toxin, in the home, according to court papers. Tests also confirmed the toxin was present in the woman’s body.
A judge Monday ordered the man, Jeffery C. Marble, 48, held in lieu of $1 million bail.
The house still is contaminated, Everett police Cpt. Mike Campbell said. Specialists from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Everett police hazardous materials team probed the home Tuesday for contaminated materials.
“Now, it’s just seeing what issues there may be and what needs to be done to allow people to live in the house,” Campbell said.
Detectives also gathered evidence, police Sgt. Robert Goetz said.
A few doors down, Jean Lilley was out in her yard pulling weeds. She was surprised and sad to learn what had happened nearby.
“I’m just sad for the family,” Lilley said.
Lilley said she hopes everything on her street will go back to normal soon. “We want it back to boring.”
Everett firefighters were at the scene to help decontaminate people involved in searching the home.
People exiting the home in protective suits were not merely hosed down, Campbell said. The water was then collected in special pools and neutralized to make sure it was safe to dispose of.
“It’s just erring on the side of safety, not only for the people but for the environment,” Campbell said.
Evidence is being sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta for testing.
Police spent time Tuesday answering neighbors’ questions.
“I’m sure they’ve got it under control,” said Doris Pederson, who lives across the street. “If there was something to worry about, they’d come and tell me.”
Katya Yefimova: 425-339-3452, kyefimova@heraldnet.com.
