God replaces fear for slaying victim’s sister
Published 10:14 pm Saturday, October 18, 2008
GRANITE FALLS — Anne Behnke didn’t give it much thought when her brother wasn’t home in the morning.
Charles Meyer probably stayed out with friends.
Behnke left homemade chili for Meyer, 27. She and her family left for Oregon.
Behnke learned later that night that her younger brother was never coming home.
A hunter had found Meyer’s body near his car along a logging road near Sultan. He had been stabbed multiple times in the chest.
The 1979 homicide remains unsolved.
Meyer is featured in the state’s first cold-case playing cards. More than 3,000 decks of cards have been distributed in jails and prison in hopes of soliciting leads for dozens of unsolved homicides and missing persons cases. Inmates are being offered a reward for information that helps detectives solve cases dating back to the 1970s.
Meyer is featured on the four of clubs.
Investigators believe Meyer left Granite Falls on Oct. 14, 1979 for Monroe. He said he was meeting someone regarding some antiques. He had been working for an antiques dealer in Snohomish.
Meyer hadn’t been at the job long, his sister said. He was living with Behnke and her family at the time of his death.
His slaying scared his sister. She feared for her family’s safety.
“I wondered if they were watching my house; if I was next or if my kids were in danger,” Behnke said.
Behnke said she had to turn that fear over to God.
“You can’t live your life like that forever,” she said. “In the end God will bring justice. It might be in this lifetime or another or maybe he already has. You have to leave it all up to God.”
Reporter Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463 or hefley@heraldnet.com.
About this series
Snohomish County sheriff’s detectives created the state’s first deck of cold-case playing cards. Each Sunday for a year, The Herald is publishing a story about a case featured on one of the cards. The 52 cards can be viewed at cmg-northwest2.go-vip.net/heraldnet.
Anyone with information about unsolved homicides or missing persons cases is asked to call 800-222-TIPS (8477). Up to a $1,000 reward is offered.
Tips also can be left on the sheriff’s tip line at 425-388-3845. Callers may remain anonymous, although tips have been more successful when callers speak with detectives, police said.
