DNA evidence links Arlington man to murder of California woman

The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office said a 56-year-old Arlington man has been arrested after DNA evidence connected him with the August death of a California woman.

According to a Facebook post on Friday, November 22, Major Crime Unit (MCU) detectives arrested the suspect for the murder of Katie McQueen, 37, of Mariposa, California.

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Deputies responded to reports of a suspicious death on August 20, 2024, in the 11800 block of 84th Street Northeast in Lake Stevens. McQueen was found dead at the scene. Police found McQueen with stab wounds to her neck.

After a months-long investigation, the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab obtained a positive DNA match from a sample recovered from McQueen’s body, linking it to the 56-year-old Arlington man, who was not known to the victim.

Detectives learned that an argument between McQueen and the suspect led to her being fatally stabbed.

According to Find Law, law enforcement agencies use DNA evidence to narrow criminal suspects down to a few possibilities. DNA technology is highly accurate as long as the chain of custody is not broken. This means DNA is valid if it’s handled and analyzed correctly.

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DNA samples and testing involve comparing biological material against other specimens. This creates a profile to identify a unique individual in a criminal case. DNA evidence is one of the best examples of how technology has altered the criminal justice system.

The information developed during the investigation and the interview of the man led to probable cause to arrest the suspect for second-degree murder.

This remains an active investigation.

Bill Kaczaraba is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here. Follow Bill on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and email him here.