South Hill-Area Man Arrested, Accused Of Killing Stepfather

PUYALLUP, WA — A South Hill-area man is behind bars, accused of killing his stepfather earlier this week.

According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department, their investigation began Thursday around 2 p.m., when a 911 caller told dispatchers they believed that someone had been killed at a home in the 18400 block of Elkhorn Blvd E in Orting.

The caller told deputies they believed the homeowner had been killed by his stepson.

Deputies say they thoroughly searched the house, but didn't find anyone or anything — except for a pool of blood in a shop on the property.

Several hours later, around 5:30 p.m., a detective spotted the victim's car at a home near the intersection of near 136th St E and Meridian Ave E in South Hill — a nearly 20-mile drive from the Orting house.

Inside the car, was the victim's stepson, but there was no sign of his stepfather, according to deputies.

After obtaining a search warrant, deputies say they searched the South Hill property, and found the stepfather's corpse, which had been hidden outside in the yard.

The stepson, who deputies have only identified as a 43-year-old man, has since been booked into the Pierce County Jail on suspicion of second degree murder.