A 69-year-old woman was found dead after she was reportedly kidnapped and help for ransom – despite cops agreeing to pay the money, police said.
Sandra Harris’ body was found along a scrubland road off Interstate 82 near southern Kennewick, Wash., on Sunday, the Benton County Sheriff’s Office said.
It remains unclear how Harris died, but an autopsy is scheduled this week to determine her cause of death, authorities said.
Police have already arrested someone in the case.
“The suspect we have in custody, Theresa Wiltse, was known to Sandra Harris and her husband, Randy Harris,” Kennewick police said in a statement Monday. “The exact nature of how they are known to each other is still a part of this investigation.”
Late Friday night a SWAT team arrested 49-year-old Theresa Wiltse, on suspicion of kidnapping. But Wiltse was alone, and law enforcement spent more than 24 hours searching for Harris.
Wiltse is being held without bond. It was not immediately clear if she had retained an attorney.
Investigators are working with the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab to process the suspect’s vehicle.
Anyone with information related to this case in encouraged to contact the Kennewick Police Department at 509-628-0333 or Crime Stoppers @ 509 586-8477 16-39547
