EDMONDS — A man suspected of murder was arrested while hiding Tuesday in an Everett home, more than a week after his roommate was shot to death.
Police had been searching for Derrick Elijah “Wiz” Crawford since his roommate Joshua Werner was found shot in the head Jan. 6, in a third-floor bedroom at their home in Edmonds.
Derrick “Wiz” Crawford, 22, is a suspect in the homicide of his roommate. (Edmonds Police Department)
At first, an investigation was slowed down by reluctant witnesses and conflicting stories. Later police determined Crawford and Werner, 27, had been arguing that night, apparently over property.
Crawford remained at large for 10 days. A public bulletin announced he was the suspect, and that he could be headed for California. In the meantime prosecutors charged him with second-degree murder.
Police tracked down Crawford around 10 p.m. Tuesday near the 6000 block of Broadway in Everett. He was found hiding in a closet, unarmed, Edmonds police Sgt. Shane Hawley said. His dreadlocks had been cut. Officers booked him into the Snohomish County Jail.
Werner’s sister, Christina Zawaideh, said there were tears of relief at news of the arrest. She hopes the shooter knows how horrible the loss feels. For years she’d been trying to help her brother to beat addiction. She said lately Werner had been talking about leaving the state. He was tired of living the way he had been, she said. He wanted a new start.
“He was very broken, but he was very real,” Zawaideh said. “No matter how much trouble he got in, or what was happening in his life, he had a huge heart.”
To cover memorial costs, Werner’s family has set up a gofundme page, “Help us Celebrate Josh’s life.”
Caleb Hutton: 425-339-3454; chutton@heraldnet.com. Twitter: snocaleb.
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