Lake Stevens man arrested in Monroe prison officer’s killing

Published 9:55 am Saturday, September 9, 2023

SNOHOMISH — Authorities arrested a Lake Stevens man Friday in connection with the fatal drive-by shooting of a Monroe prison officer the night before.

Around 3 p.m. Friday, Major Crimes Unit detectives arrested the man, 22, for investigation of second-degree murder, according to the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office.

Detectives said the shooting occurred around 7:45 p.m. Thursday in the 1600 block of South Machias Road, northeast of Snohomish. When deputies arrived on scene, they found a man in his 30s deceased.

A spokesperson for the state Department of Corrections confirmed the deceased worked at the Monroe Correctional Complex but declined to provide his name until it is released by local authorities.

The deceased will be identified by the Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Detectives continued looking for witnesses, including:

• Potential witnesses inside a “dark colored Jeep Grand Cherokee with three dark rims and one silver rim” on the driver’s side;

• those who witnessed the victim and a woman trying to slow traffic on South Machias Road for deer crossing around 7:40 p.m. Thursday;

• and those who witnessed the suspect’s vehicle, a silver 2001 Lexus GS300, before or after the shooting. Detectives impounded the vehicle Friday as evidence.

Investigators do not believe there is any danger to the community.

Anyone with relevant information can call the sheriff’s office tip line at 425-388-3845.