A man has been taken into custody and charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of a woman, whose body was found encased within a suitcase near a Seattle homeless encampment, authorities said. Washington State Patrol confirmed 57-year-old Steven Nguyen is currently behind bars at the King County Jail, with bail set at $2 million, as reported by FOX 13 Seattle.
Nguyen, who resided in the same encampment where the remains of the victim, identified as Caslin-Reeder, were discovered, became a prime focus for investigators. Following the last sighting of the victim in November 2023, detectives uncovered that Caslin-Reeder had visited Nguyen at the encampment despite having housing elsewhere. According to MyNorthwest, Nguyen was initially arrested October 3 on a separate warrant and was subsequently interviewed about the murder during his incarceration.
The discovery of Catlin-Reeder's body on September 27 near the I-5-I-90 interchange in Seattle. Following the Medical Examiner's determination that her death was a homicide resulting from multiple sharp and blunt force injuries, statements from Dr. Nicole Yarid indicated the injuries were "not consistent with falling and hitting her head on rocks." This key forensic finding led detectives to Nguyen, who invoked his right to an attorney once confronted with these details as stated in reports by KOMO News.
Prior interactions with the judicial system also weigh heavily on this case, as court records reveal Nguyen's extensive history of criminal conduct. With more than 20 warrants for his previous failures to appear in court and noncompliance with court orders. His convictions include a 2022 assault where he attempted to trigger a gun at a woman's head. Nguyen is expected to make an appearance for his arraignment on the current charges on October 30, as indicated by the same KOMO News report.
