The following information from King County Sheriff’s Office. A further story on the update will be posted shortly.

King County Major Crimes detectives have arrested and booked a married couple, a man, 39, and a woman, 37, into the King County Jail. The male suspect was booked on investigation of murder, arson and residential burglary. The female suspect was booked on investigation of rendering criminal assistance, residential burglary and arson in connection with the murder of a 67-year-old victim, burglarizing his house, stealing his vehicle and later lighting it on fire in Tacoma.

Detectives believe that on Sept. 19 the male suspect went to the victim’s house knocked on the front door of the house at the 16700 196 Ave. SE. When the victim answered the door the male suspect pepper sprayed the victim struck him in the head with some type of object causing blunt force trauma to his head killing him.

The victim was found deceased in a detached shed on his property, his ankles and wrists were bound and he was wrapped in a comforter and tarp. There was what appeared to be a newly dug hole in the ground at the bottom of the steps of the back deck. This hole looked to detectives like a grave.

Sometime after the victim was killed, it is believed that the Male suspect drove the victim’s vehicle to his house in Tacoma. Once news spread of the murder investigation, detectives believe that the male and female suspect drove the victims vehicle close by, torched the car and left it where it was found by police.

On Sept. 26 a search warrant of the suspect’s residence was served and the detectives located property belonging to the victim at the suspect’s residence.

There is also probable cause to believe that the female was aware of the victim’s death but instead of notifying law enforcement she participated in the burglary of victims’ house and then assisted the male suspect with fleeing the scene of the arson of victim vehicle to cover up his crimes.