MARYSVILLE — A homicide investigation heated up with the arrest of a suspect who police believe was present when a Marysville man was killed three years ago in an abandoned house.
The body of Charles Hughley, 39, was discovered April 13, 2005. He died of what the medical examiner calls sharp-force injuries.
Police have been hunting for his killer ever since.
A break in the case came Wednesday while detectives were interviewing people about the slaying, Marysville police Cmdr. Ralph Krusey said. Investigators learned a 26-year-old transient was there when Hughley was killed and allegedly helped dispose of evidence, Krusey said.
The man was arrested the same day and booked into the Snohomish County Jail for investigation of rendering criminal assistance.
The man, a felon, has convictions for robbery and burglary. A judge on Thursday ordered him held on $5,000 bail.
“This has gone from what some might consider a cold case to something that’s been rekindled,” Krusey said.
He declined to say if investigators have identified a suspect. Detectives have ruled out numerous people but continue to investigate other people, Krusey said.
A Marysville officer on routine patrol discovered Hughley’s body three years ago when he stopped to check on a house in the 100 block of Beach Avenue. Transients were known to camp out in the house.
Hughley had just returned to Marysville to reconnect with his family, his sister Amy Hughley told The Herald in 2005.
The youngest of four, Hughley had been close to his parents and their deaths in 2003 hit him hard. He began to drink heavily and left the Marysville area. He returned shortly before his death and contacted family, Amy Hughley said.
Investigators interviewed numerous people since the slaying and collected hundreds of items of evidence.
Detectives have been sending items to the Washington State Patrol crime lab to be examined. As the results from the lab came back, detectives continued to follow leads, Krusey said. There is still more evidence to be examined, he said.
“We’ve been working on it. We’ve had flames rekindled and they’ve ended up as dead ends,” Krusey said. “This one was fruitful.”
Police are asking anyone with information about Hughley’s death to call detectives at 360-363-8326.
Reporter Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463 or hefley@heraldnet.com.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
