SEATTLE NEWS ARCHIVES & FEATURES
Five apprehended for Quincy murder were in country illegally
Jan 26, 2017, 5:07 PM
File photo. (Tony Webster, Flickr)
(Tony Webster, Flickr)
On December 22, a citizen walking her dog along the old Vantage Highway near Quincy came across a grisly sight. The body of a 31-year-old Quincy resident, Jill Marie Sundberg, had been shot 13 times and left on the side of the road with a knife in her back. Grant County Chief Deputy Ryan Rectenwald talked to Dori Monson about the five apprehended suspects, whose status as illegal immigrants has further fanned the flames of concern for tougher immigration policy.
“I would equate this murder as an execution-style murder,” Rectenwald said.
Rectenwald said police did not know the exact motive, but that the victim and shooter were involved in some sort of argument before being forced from a trailer at the Shady Tree trailer park near George, Washington. She was then driven out to this remote location where she was forcefully removed from the vehicle and murdered.
The fact that Sundberg was forced to her knees and shot in the head suggests execution, according to police.
“All of the arrested men were residents of the Shady Tree trailer park near George Washington,” Rectenwald said. The men, aged 25-39, were in the country illegally and remained at large until this week.
Decision not to leave Quincy a surprise
“To me, it is kind of surprising that they did not leave,” Rectenwald said. “I know that the weeks prior to the arrest we were obviously at the Shady Tree trailer park trying to track down Jill Sundberg’s last hours of her life, which led us to that trailer park and plenty of police presence, so yes, I am very surprised.”
Rectenwald credited his and other police forces and their tireless efforts for producing such a swift apprehension. “Canceling days off throughout the holidays, working 12-14 hours a day,” cited Rectenwald. “I think their hard work paid off and came to fruition with the arrest.”
Some solace for the family
“Our counties are a lot safer because of their hard work and hopefully this family will have some comfort from at least the arrest of these five individuals,” he said. “I know it won’t bring their loved one back but at least they’ll … have some answers and someone accountable for this horrific crime.”
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