Driver who killed Lynnwood woman sentenced to 27 years

Published 3:15 pm Thursday, December 4, 2025

EVERETT — A Snohomish County Superior Court Judge sentenced Robert Rowland, who struck and killed a Lynnwood woman while fleeing from police after allegedly kidnapping his girlfriend and threatening to “skin her” alive, to 27 years in prison Tuesday.

This comes after the 39-year-old pleaded guilty to one count of murder in the second degree and one count of vehicular assault on Nov. 20. Prosecutors initially charged Rowland with first-degree murder, vehicular homicide, vehicular assault, taking a motor vehicle without permission, attempting to elude, hit and run attended vehicle, fourth-degree assault and fourth-degree assault domestic violence on May 10, 2024.

On April 10, 2024, Rowland’s girlfriend went to a friend’s house to say goodbye before she checked into treatment for substance abuse, court documents said. She told police that Rowland became upset at the news and threw a metal canister at her arm.

Rowland reportedly stole her money and phone before texting her friend, “I broke her arm, I’m going to skin her and I’m coming for you next,” court documents said.

The friend reported that message to the police, who did a cell phone tower ping on her phone, which was located in the 8800 block of 9th Avenue Southeast in Everett, court documents said. When officers arrived, Rowland jumped out a window and escaped in a nearby vehicle.

It was later determined that the woman’s arm was not broken, court documents said.

The next day, the Monroe woman and her friend were at Tulalip Resort Casino. She and the defendant agreed to meet to return her things. Rowland, wearing a mask, arrived in a GMC Sierra pickup with the license plates removed that had been reported stolen, court documents said.

Security footage depicts Rowland coming up behind the friend and punching her in the face before leaving with the girlfriend. The friend reported to police she believed the woman was kidnapped, court documents said.

Around 6 p.m.April 11, 2024, the Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force located Rowland near Merrill Creek Parkway and 23rd Drive West in Everett by pinging the girlfriend’s phone. Eventually, Rowland stopped at a 7-Eleven on Hardeson Road, where authorities were waiting, but did not attempt to arrest him due to the number of people in the parking lot.

Rowland threw what appeared to be a cell phone out the window before eventually leaving the parking lot, court documents said. Officers followed, turning their lights on when the pickup turned onto Glenwood Avenue.

The girlfriend told police Rowland had many mood swings while in the car, such as wanting to kill himself before saying he wanted to go into treatment, court documents said. She reported she pleaded with him to pull over after he put others in danger, including a child crossing the street.

Eventually, he reached Highway 99, where he made a U-turn to get back on Highway 525, court documents said. He crossed a grass median and began driving south in the northbound lanes of Highway 525. Police reported terminating the pursuit.

After less than a minute of driving the wrong way, he crashed into Lynnwood woman Trudy Slanger’s, 83, vehicle, court documents said. First responders pronounced Slanger dead at the scene.

First responders transported Rowland to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle and the woman to Providence Regional Medical Center Everett with a broken ankle.

Rowland has multiple previous felony convictions. At the time of his arrest, Rowland had outstanding warrants for unlawful possession of a firearm and first-degree assault, court documents said.

For a class A felony, the maximum sentence is life imprisonment with a $50,000 fine. For a class B felony, the maximum sentence is 10 years imprisonment and/or $20,000 fine.

Judge George Appel sentenced Rowland to 324 months in prison with 36 months of community custody upon release for the first count. For the second count, Appel sentenced him to 70 months in prison and 18 months of community custody. The sentences will run concurrently, court documents said.

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