Murder Suspect Charged In Lakewood Store Owner's Killing

LAKEWOOD, WA — The man suspected of repeatedly stabbing a Lakewood woman during a robbery, bragging about the crime to friends, then hiding from investigators for weeks, has been formally charged with murder. Pierce County prosecutors filed first-degree murder charges against Marcus Williams ahead of a court appearance Monday afternoon. Williams also faces a separate narcotics charge after corrections officers said they found several marijuana joints in his cell after his arrest. The court imposed more than $2 million in bail.

Probable cause documents allege Williams visited McChord Mart after 10 p.m. on October 14th. Surveillance video shows a man browsing the store and picking up a barbecue sauce bottle before pulling a knife and attempting to get money from a cash register. The victim can be seen struggling with the man, who stabs her several times. Choe was transported to Madigan Army Medical Center where she later died.

Prosecutors believe Williams fled the store and hopped in a vehicle driven by Bonifacio Alvarez Reynolds. Murder charges against Reynolds were filed last week.

According to court documents, detectives were able to identify Williams due to DNA swabbed from the barbecue sauce bottle, and by matching a distinct hoodie seen in surveillance video to social media photos.

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