Thurston County law enforcement have taken two individuals into custody in relation to the grim discovery of a man buried in a shallow grave near the Nisqually River. As reported by FOX 13 Seattle, a man and a woman, hailing from Yelm and both in their mid-30s, face charges including rendering criminal assistance, tampering with physical evidence, and unlawful disposal of human remains. These arrests come a week after the unsettling finding.
In this developing case, officials have yet to press murder or manslaughter charges against the duo, leaving their exact involvement in the death of Robert Erwin, as of now, unclear. The Thurston County Sheriff's Office confirmed the arrest yesterday. Erwin's body was located, scarcely concealed by earth, on June 7, sparking an immediate and ongoing homicide investigation.
The identity of the deceased, Robert Erwin, was released following the efforts of the coroner’s office. Described as "transient in his early 40s" by the Thurston County Sheriff's Office, his untimely death has undoubtedly thrust the small community around Yelm into a maelstrom of concern and speculation, according to details from KOMO News.
