Not enough proof to charge one-time Monroe woman with murder

By Paul Gottlieb

Peninsula Daily News

PORT ANGELES — A recommendation to charge longtime suspect Tina Marie Alcorn with murder in the early spring bludgeoning death of Neah Bay resident George Cecil David has been rejected by Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney Mark Nichols.

Nichols said Thursday he and Chief Criminal Deputy Michele Devlin met with several members of David’s family on or about Nov. 16 to tell them there is not enough evidence to charge Alcorn with murdering David in the nearly 9-month-old case.

David’s body was found March 28 in a Port Angeles apartment where he was staying.

Alcorn “absolutely” remains the chief suspect in the case, Police Chief Brian Smith said Friday.

Members of David’s family were unavailable last week for comment.

Port Angeles police early on had linked Alcorn, 46, an Arkansas resident who has a relative in Port Angeles, with the murder of David, 65.

The renowned master woodcarver’s body was found March 28 in a Port Angeles apartment east of downtown.

A family member told the Peninsula Daily News shortly after David’s remains were discovered that he had traveled by bus from Neah Bay to Port Angeles on March 25 with plans to travel to Victoria to visit family and attend a March 30 funeral.

Police had identified Alcorn as a suspect after she was incarcerated April 25 in the Clallam County jail without bond on an Arkansas warrant for violating the conditions of her probation.

In releasing her name in connection with David’s death, police wanted to let the public to know “we don’t have a murderer on the loose” while they continued their investigation, Sgt. Jason Viada had told the PDN.

She was jailed on an outstanding Arkansas warrant for violating the terms of her probation on a 2008 conviction for felony theft of property, Rhonda Sharp, spokeswoman for the Arkansas Community Correction Department, said Thursday.

The warrant was issued after Alcorn left a recovery center without permission, Dina Tyler, deputy director of communications for the Arkansas Community Correction Department, said last week.

Alcorn was subsequently extradited to Arkansas to serve time after her probation was revoked.

She was released Nov. 10 from the McPherson Correctional Facility in Newport, Ark., Solomon Graves, a spokesman for the Arkansas Department of Corrections, said Thursday.

Smith and Nichols said it was common for his office to ask for more information from the police department on serious charges such as murder.

“It’s a fairly standard practice,” Nichols said Friday.

“We will continue to review any and all evidence that this identified and will make a charging decision when we have a provable case.

“Fundamentally, this remains an unsolved homicide.”

He and Smith said they are awaiting forensic test results from the State Patrol Crime Lab, which is examining evidence in the case.

Items removed under a search warrant executed on where David was staying in the 1100 block of East Columbia Street included a couch, a portion of carpeting, blood swabs, DNA samples, clothing and a can.

Police and the prosecuting attorney’s office have refused to comment on any evidence linking David and Alcorn or if they were together after David arrived by bus from Neah Bay the afternoon of March 25.

Smith said Friday that more interviews would be conducted in the case and did not know when new information would be submitted to Nichols.

Alcorn was known to law enforcement in Clallam County, jail supervisor Ron Sukert said after she was arrested on the Arkansas warrant.

She also had visited Forks in the past 10 to 15 years, Viada said.

Arkansas records indicate she went to school in Tacoma and lived in Monroe, Tyler said.

Alcorn and David were not strangers the night David died.

“We believe, and the facts tell us, that he knew her,” Smith said. “How long, we don’t know. It’s very possible they met that night.”

Tyler said Alcorn is on electronic monitoring until her community supervision ends Aug. 4, 2017.

Alcorn, who lives in Little Rock., Ark., must report monthly to a parole officer, is subject to random home visits and must obtain a travel pass to leave Pulaski County.

“We are going to keep pretty close tabs on her,” Tyler said.

Alcorn, who has worked in the fast-food industry, has no other felony convictions in Arkansas, Tyler said.

Nichols urged anyone with information about the case to contact the authorities.

Following David’s death, police canvassed the area a block east of Olympic Medical Center where he was staying, which includes nearby, heavily traveled Front and Race streets.

Paul Gottlieb: 360-452-2345, ext. 55650; paul.gottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.