Last Thursday and Friday multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Klickitat County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) and an FBI Taskforce, joined in investigating a double homicide.
On March 16 at about 10 p.m., the Klickitat County Department of Emergency Management received information from the FBI Taskforce out of Yakima of a possible suspect involved in burning two bodies on the Yakama Nation Tribal Reservation in the Toppenish, Washington, area. One of the suspects was believed to be in the Goldendale area.
The following day about 2 p.m., Officer Michael Steljes with the Goldendale Police Department, Deputy Zack McBride with the Sheriff’s Office, and agents with the FBI Taskforce located a vehicle associated with one of the suspects in the case in Goldendale. A traffic stop was conducted on the associated vehicle, and two subjects were taken into custody. The first subject was determined to be a suspect in the burning of the two bodies. The second subject was determined to not be involved in the incident but was found to have a warrant for his arrest in an unrelated case.
Through the investigation, it was determined a homicide involving the two dead bodies had occurred on Box Canyon Road north of Goldendale. A third crime scene was located along Highway 97 on the Yakama Nation Tribal Reservation.
Agents with the FBI Seattle Office, as well as agents with the FBI Yakima Office, processed the crime scene where the bodies had been burned. The Washington State Patrol sent a detective unit as well as a Washington State Patrol Crime Scene Response Team to assist in processing the other crime scenes.
A second suspect was identified and is believed to be the shooter. This suspect is believed to still be armed with the weapon used in the homicide and is thought to have been driven to Rufus, Oregon.
The Sherman County Sheriff’s assisted in the investigation and called in The Dalles Police Department SWAT Team, as well as the Mid-Columbia SWAT Team.
Attempts were made to arrest the second suspect at his residence, but the suspect left approximately 20 minutes before the SWAT teams arrived.
Warrants were issued for the second suspect charging him with two counts of Murder in the First Degree. The second suspect was identified as John Scott Raczykowski, 31 years old, of Rufus, Oregon. Raczykowski is believed to be armed and dangerous. Raczykowski’s picture is attached to this article.
The first suspect in custody was identified as Larry Duane Kleven, 57 years old, of Goldendale. Kleven was booked into the Klickitat County Jail for Rendering Criminal Assistance in the First Degree and Tampering with Physical Evidence.
The two deceased were identified as Elisha Ann King, 34 years old, of Yakima, and Jeremy Allen Wyatt, 35 years old, of Yakima.
The KCSO will be the primary investigating agency and will be assisted by the other agencies previously named. The office is requesting assistance from the public, asking for anyone who may know where Raczykowski is located to call the Klickitat County Department of Emergency Management at (509) 773-4545. Anyone with information on this case is asked to contact Detective Neher at the Sheriff’s Office at (509) 773-4455.
Klickitat County Sheriff Songer Bob expressed appreciation for the FBI Seattle Office, FBI Yakima Office, FBI Taskforce out of Yakima, Yakima County Sheriff’s Office, Yakima County Search and Rescue, Yakama Nation Tribal Police, Goldendale Police Department, Washington State Patrol, Washington State Patrol Crime Response Team, Oregon State Police, Sherman County Sheriff’s Office, Wasco County Sheriff’s Office, Hood River County Sheriff’s Office, The Dalles Police Department, The Dalles SWAT Team, the Mid-Columbia SWAT Team, the Yakima County Coroners Office, the Klickitat County Department of Emergency Management, the volunteers with the Klickitat County Sheriff’s Office Reserve Unit, and the many volunteers with the Klickitat County Sheriff’s Office Posse for their assistance in the case.
