MONROE — Kenneth J. Brown Jr. had never been to prison before stepping foot into the Washington State Reformatory in Monroe.
Brown, 22, wouldn’t ever go home again.
He was stabbed to death in Cell Block C while serving time for a 1977 conviction out of Pierce County.
No one has ever been arrested for the 1980 slaying.
Now, detectives are turning to inmates to lead them to Brown’s killer.
Brown’s death is featured in the state’s first deck of cold-case playing cards. Snohomish County sheriff’s detectives have distributed 3,000 decks of cards to jails and prisons around the state in an effort to solicit new tips about unsolved homicides and missing persons cases.
Inmates are offered rewards for information that help detectives solve dozens of investigations, some dating back to the 1970s.
Detectives in Florida have used cold-case playing cards to solve a handful of murders there.
Brown is on the seven of spades in the Snohomish County decks.
Detectives weren’t able to find a picture of Brown to include on the card. There is only a brief description of the crime.
Investigators are hoping the details will be enough to jog someone’s memory. Maybe someone who was afraid to talk to police at the time will feel compelled to step forward now, nearly 30 years later.
“There was a prime suspect in the case but because of the nature of inmate culture, they weren’t able to get anyone to talk,” sheriff’s detective Jim Scharf said.
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. To see the 52 cards, go to www.heraldnet.com.
Anyone with information about unsolved homicides or missing persons cases is asked to call 800-222-TIPS (8477). A reward of up to $1,000 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.
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