Detectives seek public's help in 5 unsolved cold cases in WA
The Brief
Detectives are asking for the public's help with five unsolved cold cases in Thurston County.
The cases date from 2001 to 2021.
Detectives say even the smallest piece of information can be key to solving these cases.
THURSTON COUNTY, Wash. - The Thurston County Sheriff's Office (TCSO) Cold Case Unit is asking for the public's help on five cases that remain unsolved.
What they're saying
"We believe that even the smallest detail could be the key to finding justice for the victims and their families," wrote the TCSO in a social media post. "If you know something – no matter how minor it may seem – please come forward."
The TCSO says Michelle Dickerman was reported missing on May 2, 2001. Detectives say she was last seen near Fred Meyer in Lacey on April 28, 2001. She's still missing and the circumstances surrounding her disappearance are suspicious.
Detectives say on Nov. 9, 2013, the remains of a woman were found on the Nisqually Indian Reservation. In 2021, her remains were identified as Jennifer Vawter Patterson through advanced DNA testing.
Jennifer had been living in the LeMar Mobile Home Park in Yelm, and it is believed that her cause of death was homicidal violence.
Cold Case detectives are asking for information on a homicide that happened in January 2007.
On Jan. 22, 2007, the body of Karen Bodine was found at the entrance of a gravel pit off of Littlerock Road Southwest, just north of Rochester, Washington.
"It has been over 18 years. It is time to get justice for Karen." Thurston County Sheriff's Office Cold Case Unit
The TCSO says the information you provide could be the key to solving this case.
Logan Drew Schiendelman was 19 years old when he went missing between May 18-20, 2016.
"His family and friends are desperate for any information that could help bring him home," wrote the TCSO. "Logan is deeply missed, and we need your help to find him.
Authorities say the photo on the left is often used in his missing flyers, but the photo on the right was taken by him around the time he went missing.
Logan went missing at the age of 19, meaning he is around 28 years old now. He's described as being 6-feet tall, 150 pounds with brown eyes and black curly hair.
He was last seen driving his black 1996 Chrysler Sebring convertible on I-5 near Tumwater, WA.
Dana Presley, the owner of Hollywood Towing, was found dead inside his home in Olympia in August 2021.
Detectives determined his cause of death was homicidal violence.
What you can do
Anyone with information on any of the following cold cases, even the smallest details, is asked to contact the Thurston County Sheriff's Office Cold Case Unit at TCSOColdCase@co.thurston.wa.us.
The Source
Information in this story comes from the Thurston County Sheriff's Office Cold Case Unit.
Bodies of 3 missing Wenatchee, WA girls found, father wanted for murder
Who is Travis Decker? What to know about the Wenatchee, WA father wanted for murder
What we know about Decker girls, 3 missing WA sisters found dead
'I am in a lot of pain': Lakewood, WA mass shooting survivors being released from hospitals
'Belltown Hellcat' Miles Hudson back in court
WATCH: TikTok video of woman digging for geoduck in WA goes viral
'Shut your legs' comment, rating female staff: Snoqualmie Police Chief fired after probe
Washington state named 'sanctuary jurisdiction' by Trump admin, 35 of 39 counties listed
WA beekeeper working to save millions of bees involved in crash in Whatcom County
FBI scrutiny puts pressure on Seattle mayor after protest clash
To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter.
Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Sunshine laws block talk on Logan's exit at Police Commission meeting
HONOLULU (KHON2) — The Honolulu Police Commission met on June 4 but could not discuss Chief Joe Logan's retirement due to state law. The commission meeting went forward but Logan's June 30th retirement could not be discussed due to sunshine laws. Testifiers voiced strong opinions on his exit and Mayor Rick Blangiardi's quick push for Hawaii County Chief Ben Moszkowicz as interim chief. North Shore community members discuss gondola plans 'I think in this case he's overstepped his authority in leadership, done disservice to this department. I think he was out of order to talk to chief into resigning, but it is what it is,' said retired police Lt. Alexander Garcia. Commission member Doug Chin praised Logan for his commitment and noted the Honolulu Police Department's ongoing operations amid the transition. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news 'Despite all that's going on outside, we're still functioning, the day-to-day work is still being done, and you are showing up and that means a lot, I appreciate it,' Chin said. Applicants for the interim chief position have until June 13 to get their resumes in for consideration — two have done so already. 'We have Chief Moskowitz, Ben Moskowitz, and then we also have Tommy Aiu. I had just heard from my executive officer that he had submitted,' said Commission chair Ken Commission will address Logan's retirement and the interim chief appointment at their next meeting on June 18. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Two veterans accused of robbing WA Army base had Nazi flags, machine gun, prosecutors say
Investigators say they found military equipment and Nazi flags in the home of two Lacey men arrested this week. (Photo courtesy of the Thurston County Sheriff's Office) An investigation into a two-year-long string of military equipment theft from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, near Tacoma, turned up Nazi memorabilia, white supremacist literature and a cache of weapons in the suspects' home in Lacey, according to charges filed in federal court Wednesday. Federal prosecutors charged Charles Fields and Levi Frakes with robbery, assault and theft of government property for allegedly stealing helmets, body armor and communications equipment from the Pierce County military base late Sunday. Both men 'previously served' in the military, according to the complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Tacoma. Just after 8 p.m. Sunday, the duo scanned their identification documents as they entered the base in a Toyota 4Runner, according to the charges. About an hour later, someone on the base entered a U.S. Army Ranger operations facility to find two masked men, later identified as Fields and Frakes, court papers say. Investigators believe the men used bolt cutters to get inside. The men later unmasked themselves before attacking the person with a hammer, federal prosecutors allege. The alleged victim was able to get control of the hammer, but surrendered when one of the suspects pulled out a knife. During the fight, one of the intruders dropped a hat with 'FIELDS' handwritten on the inside. The pair reportedly then fled the Ranger compound with around $14,000 in government property. The man who was attacked was hit in the head with the hammer and was bruised and bloodied, according to court documents. He was taken to Madigan Army Medical Center. Surveillance video shows the two men leaving with rucksacks, two of which they dropped while fleeing, according to the complaint. Army criminal investigators obtained a search warrant for a home in Lacey that both men used as an address. Late Monday night, they found 35 weapons, including rifles, pistols and a machine gun, along with silencers, prosecutors allege. Agents also reported seizing military property like night vision devices, flashbangs, smoke grenades and body armor. 'Some of the military items agents recovered are unlawful to possess without unique permission from the (Department of Defense) and some of the items are so restricted that active duty military members are not permitted to have or store them in their personal residences,' special agent Christopher Raguse wrote in the complaint. Each bedroom featured Nazi and white supremacist memorabilia, murals and literature, according to court papers. A photo included in the charging papers shows side-by-side flags in one room emblazoned with a Nazi swastika and SS Bolts referring to the Schutzstaffel police unit in Nazi Germany. Since World War II, neo-Nazis have adopted the symbol, according to the Anti-Defamation League. 'The suspects identified in this case were actively involved in Nazi White Nationalist efforts,' Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders wrote in a Facebook post announcing the arrests. One of the two men agreed to speak with investigators. The complaint doesn't identify whether this was Fields or Frakes. The suspect acknowledged stealing military property from the Ranger compound to sell or trade for about two years, according to the charges. It's unclear if the men had any other plans with the stolen arsenal. Law enforcement booked both men into the Thurston County Jail on separate state criminal allegations. A judge there set bail at $500,000 each. They remained in Thurston County custody Wednesday, said a spokesperson from the U.S. Attorney's Office in western Washington. It's unclear when they will be transferred to federal custody for their first appearance on the charges filed in Tacoma on Wednesday.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Mayor Blangiardi wants authority to hire, fire Honolulu police chief
Only two of the seven members of the commission responsible for hiring and firing the Honolulu police chief were told by Mayor Rick Blangiardi that he wants to bring in Hawaii island's police chief to Arthur 'Joe ' Logan. Blangiardi, in an interview with the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, said his administration will introduce an amendment to the city charter to remove the Honolulu Police Commission's authority over the office of the chief of the police. The Honolulu Police Department is only city department that the mayor cannot make decisions about the leadership of, he said. The Office of the Mayor is responsible for keeping the community safe, Blangiardi said, noting you can't 'hold somebody responsible and not give them commensurate authority.' 'I don't have the authority to hire and fire (the police chief ). But that doesn't mean I can't have a candid conversation with the chief of police about the state of the department. Which is exactly what I did, ' said Blangiardi, noting the process of seeking to change the city charter takes at least 18 months. 'I have responsibility not only for HPD but all public safety issues and I have no authority, to deal, officially, (with ) who is the chief of police ' Blangiardi said. 'That's wrong and that is fundamentally bad management structure.' In response to a Star-Advertiser request to interview Logan, Kathleen Alina Lee, HPD's public information officer, told the Star-Advertiser that at 'this time, Chief Logan will not be offering interviews regarding his retirement.' 'All information available is in his current statement. Should he decide to open up the opportunities for interviews in the future, we'll reach out and let media know, ' said Lee, in a statement. The commissioners will meet today at 2 p.m. in the first floor Conference Room A at HPD's Alapai Headquarters for their regularly scheduled meeting. Blangiardi informed HPC Chair Kenneth Silva and Vice Chair Laurie Foster that Logan would retire June 30 and he had negotiated Hawaii Police Chief Ben Moszkowicz's application to serve as interim HPD chief starting July 16. Moszkowicz, a former major with HPD, was one of four finalists for chief when Logan, 66, was selected May 23, 2022. Moszkowicz is a 22-year veteran of HPD who left the department to become chief on Hawaii island. Blangiardi made no secret of his desire for Logan to move on from his post. A public rift between the two leaders emerged following a 2024 New Year's Day-long manhunt and shootout. HPD did not notify the public that officers were chasing around the island an armed attempted murder suspect, who had shot his ex-girlfriend, until the suspect was dead and two officers were shot. The Star-Advertiser asked all seven members of the commission if they discussed Blangiardi's police leadership transition and what they knew about Logan's retirement, who informed them and when. On Monday, Blangiardi, speaking to reporters in his office about Logan's ouster, said commissioners were 'well aware of this for some time now.' The commission is not required to consider Blangiardi's recommendation more than other applicants. The Star-Advertiser also asked about Blangiardi's desire to take away the commission's oversight of HPD's chief. Foster told the Star-Advertiser that in mid-May, the mayor 'indicated to me that he was going to act on his dissatisfaction with the chief ' but did not discuss how he planned to do so 'nor did he mention Chief Ben as a replacement.' Foster believes it is 'inappropriate to suggest that the answer to HPD governance is simply the mayor having oversight authority over the chief.' 'The entire HPD governance model has to be comprehensively reassessed. As I understand it, oversight authority of the chief's office was removed from the mayor in the past for good reason. In part, that reason was to separate HPD governance from the political process, which seems quite appropriate for that time period, ' Foster said. 'When that happened, however, there appears to have been little thought given to the appropriate HPC governance of HPD. Currently, HPC has very little ability to influence the chief or HPD and therefore HPC is a neutered organization that is considerably hampered from doing their job of 'holding the chief accountable.'' The criteria for selecting commissioners and the selection process is 'flawed ' and needs to be assessed as well, he said. 'My suggestion is that a small group of knowledgeable and unbiased people be assigned the responsibility of comprehensively assessing the entire HPD governance model and to make recommendations to the City Council, ' Foster said. This group would focus only on HPD governance, not on all commissions, she said. The Charter Commission is tasked with assessing all commissions and 'I suggest that this mandate is too broad.' Commissioners did not discuss the mayor's move to take out Logan and make Moszkowicz HPD's 13th chief, Silva told the Star-Advertiser. 'The commission will accept all interested and qualified candidates cover letters and resumes for consideration, ' said Silva, noting that as of Monday afternoon no one had applied to serve as interim HPD chief. He and Blangiardi 'had conversations regarding Chief Logan's leadership at HPD.' 'The commission meets twice a month. Our next meeting is June 4. The commission, because of the sunshine (law ), did not meet to discuss chief's retirement (on Monday ), ' said Silva, noting the commission had just started to review Logan's annual performance review. 'Chief Logan didn't let me know he was retiring until after the meeting he had with the mayor (on Monday ).' Logan's last review from the commission in August said he was exceeding expectations as a leader, innovator and a cost saver while needing to improve internal and external communications. Commissioner Ann Botticelli told the Star-Advertiser she learned of Logan's retirement from the news media. She interviewed Moszkowicz as part of the chief selection process in 2022 and he 'was a good candidate.' 'Having said that, I believe our responsibility is to invite others to also apply (internally and externally ) and select the best candidate for the job, ' she said. Botticelli said it is a good idea to review how the commission is set up in general, to include a review of why it was first established in 1932. That review should include a look at what the roles and responsibilities of the commission are and whether they are still appropriate today. Any consideration of overhauling the commission should also consider why voters rejected previous attempts to change the charter to give the mayor the same authority to hire and fire the police chief, Botticelli said. 'The larger question of who should be responsible for hiring and firing the chief should be part of that larger discussion, ' she said. Commissioner Doug Chin told the Star-Advertiser that he did not know Logan was retiring until 'I heard the announcement on Monday around 4 p.m. ' … But I also had stepped down in January from being chair when my official term had expired and I became a holdover appointment. I hope to learn more at a future meeting, ' Chin said. Commissioners Elizabeth Char, Carrie K.S. Okinaga and Jeannine A. Souki did not reply to Star-Advertiser requests for comment. All members serve staggered five-year terms and the panel 'appoints and may remove the Chief of Police, ' according to the city's description of commissioners' duties. Commissioners review rules and regulations for the HPD's administration, the annual budget and may make recommendations to the mayor. The commission also receives, considers and 'investigates charges brought by the public against the conduct of the department or any of its members ' and submits a written report of its findings to the chief, who is responsible for the disciplinary process.
