Suspect In Bonney Lake Homicide Arrested

BONNEY LAKE, WA - The woman found dead along a road near Lake Tapps early Tuesday morning has been identified as a 64-year-old Kent woman, according to the Pierce County Sheriff's Office. Police believe Linda K. Sweezer was killed elsewhere and that her killer dumped her body along 166th Avenue East. Her death may have been connected to a child custody matter.

Suspect Lance Rougeau, 25, of Kent, was arrested Wednesday night by Kent police and Pierce County detectives.

Sweezer was found by a local resident around 4 a.m. Tuesday along 166th Avenue East near 24th Street Court East, which is in unincorporated Pierce County but has a Bonney Lake address. Police were able to get surveillance footage from a nearby home showing two cars in the area around the time the body was left.

On Tuesday afternoon, Pierce County and Auburn police located an abandoned vehicle along 63rd Street Southeast in Auburn, a short distance north of where Sweezer was found. Police tracked the vehicle to a home in Kent. Early Wednesday morning, Pierce County detectives searched the home and found it empty except for 4-month-old girl in a crib.

The girl was suffering from dehydration, according to police. She was taken to Seattle Children's Hospital for treatment and is expected to be OK. Sweezer was taking car of the infant and was trying to obtain custody of her. Police found evidence that indicates Sweezer was murdered in the Kent home.

In addition to Rougeau, police are also looking for a vehicle missing from Sweezer's home: a bronze 2003 Chevrolet Impala with the license plate AGX9423.

Image via Pierce County Sheriff