Man killed, then primary suspect dies in custody, Thurston Sheriff’s Office says
A man was killed Friday night and then the primary suspect died after being taken into custody, according to the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office.
Thurston County Coroner Gary Warnock said Sunday that his office is still working to identify the victim.
About 9 p.m. Friday, deputies were dispatched to a death investigation in the 3700 block of Wesley Loop Northwest, which is west of Cooper Point Road. Once there, evidence at the scene indicated that a 49-year-old Olympia man died due to homicidal violence, according to the sheriff’s office.
The Olympian has reached out to the sheriff’s office for more information about the homicide.
Detectives then worked through the night to identify the suspect as a 26-year-old Olympia man, according to a news release. The suspect was a relative and was living with the victim, according to the sheriff’s office.
The suspect was later found in Longview and taken into custody by Longview police.
“Shortly after his arrest, the suspect suffered a medical emergency,” a news release reads. “Despite lifesaving efforts by law enforcement and emergency medical personnel, the suspect died.”
There are now two investigations: The Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the circumstances surrounding the suspect’s death, while the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the homicide.
As part of that investigation, Thurston County Sheriff’s detectives served a search warrant on a residence in Longview where they allege they found evidence linking the suspect to the homicide, as well as “items that may have contributed to his medical emergency.”
Anyone with information about this case is asked to email detectives@co.thurston.wa.us or call dispatch at 360-704-2740.
This story was originally published July 5, 2026 at 10:31 AM.
