Around $500K in drugs found at site of unsolved homicide

Police have just recovered a large stash of heroin and meth from the scene of an unsolved homicide.

Lakewood Police Lt. Chris Lawler says they received a tip about drugs hidden in the walls of the apartment.

“We served a warrant and sure enough took a couple of those wall heaters off of two different walls and found wrapped up heroin and methamphetamine, about 32 pounds of heroin and four pounds of methamphetamine,” says Lawler.

Police say that amount of drugs is valued at around $500,000.

The apartment were the drugs were found was the site of the unsolved homicide in November. Authorities had suspected narcotics trafficking played a role in the murder.

“We had found some narcotics that night when we were there investigating the homicide, enough that indicated there was probably trafficking going on,” says Lawler.

Lawler says the roommate of the victim wasn’t very cooperative with police during investigation of the homicide. The surviving roommate is in police custody.

“Charges will be considered and referred either locally or to the federal system for the roommate that is still in custody,” says Lawler. “That’s a large quantity [of drugs]. We don’t see that much very often.”

Authorities say they still need the public’s help in solving the homicide. Anyone with information is asked to call the Lakewood Police Department at 253-830-5000 or the Lakewood Tip Line at 253-830-5064.

KIRO Radio Editor Seth Keller contributed to this report.