After more than two decades, the 2003 cold case of Tamara "Tammy" Mattson's murder has been resolved, at least in the eyes of Island County law enforcement. Island County Prosecutor Greg Banks and Sheriff Rick Felici announced that 69-year-old Carl D. Schlobom, who is serving life without parole in Arizona, was identified as the perpetrator, according to a statement released by the prosecutor's office. Complications, including Schlobom's advanced dementia and incarceration in another state, however, mean he will not face prosecution for this crime.
The saga began when Mattson, a 39-year-old mother of seven, was found dead at Camano Island State Park on December 9, 2003. Investigators hit a series of dead ends until DNA technology advancements in 2009 enabled the development of a DNA profile from a cigarette butt found near the crime scene. The profile matched Schlobom's DNA, placing him at the crime scene around the time of the murder. Nonetheless, connecting him directly to the murder presented challenges, as they had to exclude him just being a witness, or a mere bystander. Unfortunately, Schlobom cannot be prosecuted for Ms. Mattson’s murder because he suffers from advanced dementia.
The breakthrough in the investigation came after detectives received a letter from Schlobom in 2021, suggesting he had information about the crime. Banks considered several demands made by Schlobom but eventually decided on a conditional "free talk," as per a report by Island County officials. "Without his confession, we were stuck. This allowed him to speak candidly and allowed us to verify that he was the killer before we would negotiate any kind of deal," Banks said.
After consulting with the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit, the authorities interviewed Schlobom, who provided details confirming his guilt. "He knew things that only the killer and detectives knew," Detective Ed Wallace said in a statement released by the prosecutor's office. A confession and transfer were agreed upon; however, inter-state bureaucratic complexity alongside Schlobom’s deteriorating health stymied the process. Banks was unable to secure an agreement with Arizona's Department of Corrections, stalling extradition proceedings.
In late 2024, as Banks attempted to revive negotiations, Schlobom's cognitive decline from advanced dementia became apparent. An extradition official communicated with Banks that there was newfound willingness to negotiate between both states, but it was too late. With Schlobom unable to comprehend the situation or legally stand trial, the case could not proceed, leaving the legal system impotent against a cold, resolved yet unresolved history-of-violence. Despite the legal stalemate, Sheriff Felici noted that their investigation is now complete and closed, conferring at least a semblance, if not the totality, of closure to Mattson's family.
