GUILTY WA - Thurston Co, Adult Female & Child, homicide, 10 Mar 2020 - Zoe & Charlene Van Auken *Arrest*

[TatianaBarbie]

There were two bodies found yesterday by hikers.

Thurston County Sheriff on FB

"Thurston County-Sheriff
· 18 hrs ·
‪TCSO is at the scene of 2 deceased persons in the 5700 block of Puget Beach Rd NE. Deaths are suspicious and detectives are investigating. More information will be released as available."


‬Hikers find bodies of child, woman in Washington state woods; deaths considered suspicious

Thurston County detectives called the deaths suspicious and said all signs point to homicide. Investigators do not believe the two people were killed in a murder-suicide.

"There are definitely visible injuries, at least to the adult victim, that we're able to tell at this point,” said Thurston County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Ray Brady. “That would lead us to believe it was most likely done by homicidal means."

Investigators said they believe one of the victims is a child based on size but could not yet provide a possible age or confirm the relationship between the two.

It was also said in the article that the sheriff doesn't believe that the bodies have been there for over 24 hours.

There are FB rumors as to who the remains could belong to, but no confirmation from the TCSO yet.

 

[TatianaBarbie]

Interesting comment (a link) by KF on the TCSO post:

Thurston County-Sheriff


Two more MSM links:

https://www.theolympian.com/news/local/article241085721.html
Bodies of woman, child found in Olympia woods

 

[Otterly]

Hopefully this is solved quickly, someone should be able to notice a woman and child missing in their social circle. You'd think a facial sketch would be on the way, at least.

 

[momsof3]

Hopefully this is solved quickly, someone should be able to notice a woman and child missing in their social circle. You'd think a facial sketch would be on the way, at least.

I don't think that they will need to do a facial sketch - it seems from SM comments on articles and LE facebook that people know exactly who it is. May be related to the missing car also posted on the thurston county sheriff's facebook website. One of the articles notes that the bodies were found but no car at the trail head . So sad.

There are FB rumors as to who the remains could belong to, but no confirmation from the TCSO yet.

 

[TatianaBarbie]

Here is the Thurston County Sheriff's post about the vehicle that LE is looking for in the double homicide:

Thurston County-Sheriff



The Thurston County Sheriff's FB page post never stated that this vehicle is associated with the adult female and child found on March 10, but IMO it is.

 

[TatianaBarbie]

LE is moving quickly on this case. There is now a suspect that is wanted:

Suspect sought in double murder of woman, child in Thurston County

https://www.facebook.com/thurston.countysheriff/posts/28516890115780



Also, the vehicle was located today, in an update to the TCS post about looking for the vehicle:

Thurston County-Sheriff

"Thurston County-Sheriff
9 hrs ·
UPDATE: Vehicle was located on 3/12/2020"

 

[TatianaBarbie]

In the "Attempt to Locate" Thurston County Sheriff FB post, there are already 250 comments/replies (in an hour), with many coming from people who know (or have known) the suspect. There were even comments from people who knew the victim (the female). I hope he can be found quickly, as he is armed and dangerous.

ETA: alternative link for the "Attempt to Locate" post: Log In or Sign Up to View

2nd ETA: The TCS just updated as I was checking the link:

"Thurston County-Sheriff
1 hr ·
SUSPECT LOCATED AND IS IN CUSTODY"

 

[TatianaBarbie]

Latest press release from Thurston County Sheriff:

Thurston County-Sheriff



What a great effort by LE in this murder. Hopefully, enough evidence has been gathered to result in a conviction of the person who committed this horrible double murder.

 

[YaYa_521]

Man suspected of killing mother, 4-year-old girl in woods near Olympia arrested

The Thurston County Sheriff's Office believe Nick Denham, 31, is the man connected to the double-murder after the victims were found dead by hikers Tuesday evening in the 5700 block of Puget Beach Road NE.

Snip

Officials believe Denham knew the 34-year-old mother and her child, but he is not the father of the child. Denham, who has a criminal history

Snip

The victim's aunt, M. O.(abbreviated by me), told KOMO News the 34-year-old mother lived in Hawks Prairie and worked for an on-demand food delivery service. She said she did not know of anyone in the victim's life who would hurt her and couldn't believe someone would kill both her and her daughter.
#

"It's really hard to believe," O. (Abbreviated by me) said. "It just doesn't seem like it's real."

 

[YaYa_521]

Nick Denham
Nick Denham
His Facebooks.

Eta additional link

 

[TatianaBarbie]

Nick Denham
Nick Denham
His Facebooks.

Eta additional link

Thank you for those links. It appears he has two young sons of his own. There are so many people suffering right now from the murder of this woman and child.

 

[TatianaBarbie]

The victims have been identified:

https://www.theolympian.com/news/local/crime/article241176011.html

. . .Thurston County Coroner’s Office has identified the woman as 34-year-old Charlene Van Auken of Thurston County. In an autopsy Friday, the office determined Van Auken died of a contact gunshot wound to the head, Coroner Gary Warnock told The Olympian.

An autopsy of Van Auken’s daughter was ongoing Friday afternoon, and the coroner’s office will not release the child’s name until the autopsy is complete. . .BBM

About the person charged with the murder of Charlene and her daughter:

. . .Judge Chris Lanese signed an arrest warrant Thursday for Nicholas J. Denham, 31, and found probable cause to charge him with two counts of aggravated first-degree murder while armed with a firearm. . .

And the person charged with their murder will be held without bail.

 

[YaYa_521]

https://www.theolympian.com/news/local/crime/article260632027.html
Apr. 21, 2022
SBM
On Wednesday, a nearly two-month-long trial ended with the jury finding Denham guilty of two counts of first-degree murder, five counts of unlawful possession of a firearm, first-degree burglary, three counts of theft of a firearm and discharging a firearm or weapon in a public space. [snip] Denham is scheduled to be sentenced on May 2, ...


Article behind paywall
MAY 2, 2022, 1:22 PM
https://www.theolympian.com/news/local/crime/article260988417.html

Thurston County man sentenced to life in prison for murdering woman, child in 2020​