Burglary suspect murder
ARLINGTON, Wash. – Snohomish County sheriff's detectives say a burglary victim is now a murder suspect after allegedly killing the burglar, hours after the crime.
Keira Earhart, 38, appeared in court Thursday on investigation of second-degree murder.
It all started Monday at Earhart's home in the 22800 block of 37th Avenue Northeast in Arlington.
"He saw the suspect running out of his house and he called 911 to report that," said Snohomish County Sheriff's spokesperson Rebecca Hover.
A couple hours later, a half-mile down the road, Earhart spotted the same man hiding in a ditch. A neighbor said Earhart had a gun and yelled for the burglar to stop. As the burglar took off towards the woods, Earhart allegedly fired, what he would later tell the neighbor, were two warning shots.
Whether Earhart knew it, the suspect was hit in the back.
On Wednesday, a neighbor called 911 to report finding a body in a small creek on his property in the 23400 block of 35th Avenue Northeast. The body was that of a 25-year-old Snohomish County man. Detectives say the Snohomish County Medical Examiner found items on the man consistent with what had been reported stolen on Monday.
"I think everyone understands self-defense and, if you are in imminent danger, if your safety is at risk, that's one thing," said Hover.
But in this case, a half-mile from his home and the burglar running away, investigators say this was not self defense. Wednesday night, they arrested Earhart on suspicion of second-degree murder.
Earhart is being held on $1 million bail.
Earhart has spent hours volunteering for the group Kids Kloset, which gives out free school clothes. Over the past couple of years, he's been the group's secretary.
"When it comes to children, I don't think anyone has a bigger heart for kids than Keira does," said Linda Dussault, co-director of Kids Kloset.
