Suspects in slaying of Everett couple extradited from California

EVERETT – An Oregon couple has been returned to the city where they are accused of beginning a week-long, tri-state crime spree that left four people dead, including an Everett grandmother and her husband.

David “Joey” Pedersen and Holly Grigsby were flown to Everett on Tuesday afternoo

n. They spoke with Everett detectives before being booked into the Snohomish County Jail. They were expected to make their first court appearance in Snohomish County Superior Court on Wednesday, Prosecuting Attorney Mark Roe said.

Both are charged with two counts of aggravated murder connected to the Sept. 26 deaths of Pedersen’s father, David “Red” Pedersen and his wife, Leslie “DeeDee” Pedersen.

They also are suspected of fatally shooting an Oregon teenager, Cody Myers, and Reginald Clark, a disabled California man.

Pedersen, 31, and Grigsby, 24, were arrested Oct. 5 in California while driving the Oregon teen’s stolen car. Inside the Plymouth, police found three loaded guns that had been stolen from Red and DeeDee Pedersen’s home, court papers said.

Grigsby allegedly told investigators that she and Joey Pedersen were on their way to Sacramento to “kill more Jews,” prosecutors wrote in charging papers.

The suspects have ties to white supremacist groups and lengthy criminal rap sheets. Grigsby allegedly admitted that they killed Cody Myers because they believed he was Jewish, according to court documents. The teen was a devout Christian.

An Oregon television station reported that Pedersen sent a reporter there a letter on Monday, denying that Myers was killed because of his last name.

Pedersen and Grigsby both have given jailhouse interviews to a California newspaper during the two weeks they were locked up in Yuba County Jail awaiting extradition. Pedersen allegedly admitted that he killed his father because he suspected him of molesting a family member. Everett police said the molestation allegations have not been proved.

Grigsby allegedly told detectives that they returned to DeeDee Pedersen’s home, bound her with duct tape and used multiple knives to kill her.

Then the couple allegedly drove to Oregon with Red Pedersen’s body in the front passenger seat of his Jeep. Investigators later recovered his body in the Jeep, which was down an embankment, off a logging road. Detectives suspect that the pair then carjacked and killed Myers. His body was discovered in a wooded area near Corvallis, Ore. He also had been shot to death.

Investigators believe that the pair then attempted to steal a different getaway vehicle in California. They are suspected of killing Reggie Clark, 53, a man whom Grigsby allegedly approached outside a Eureka, Calif., grocery store. Clark died of a fatal gunshot wound to the head. He was left inside his pickup a few blocks from the grocery store.

The pair were arrested a day later by a California Highway Patrol officer who spotted the stolen Plymouth stopped along a rural road. The couple surrendered without a fight. Officers found Red Pedersen’s wallet in his son’s pocket, court papers said.

The pair agreed not to fight extradition to Washington. They are expected to be arraigned Wednesday.

Red and DeeDee Pedersen’s family and friends have asked for privacy during the hearing, Roe said.

Roe will have 30 days to decided if he’ll seek the death penalty. That decision could be delayed if lawyers agree to an extension to allow for more investigation.

There also is the potential that federal authorities could consolidate the state cases.

Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463; hefley@heraldnet.com.