Bothell woman arrested for first-degree murder of Everett man

Published 3:14 pm Monday, May 7, 2012

The Everett Police Department Major Crimes Unit arrested a 27-year-old Bothell woman on Sunday in connection with the April 24 stabbing death of Luis Verduzco, according to Lt. Robert Goetz in a press release.

Detectives developed information that the suspect — identified in jail records as Sarah Hellerud — and two others planned to rob the victim of drugs. The suspect and her accomplices’ allegedly picked up the victim in a car and attempted to steal his drugs.  When he resisted, the suspect stabbed Verduzco and then pushed him out of the car.

Investigators learned that the suspect was staying in an apartment in the 6700 block of Fleming Street in Everett. When they went there, they found the suspect and arrested her without incident.  After an interview with detectives, the suspect was transported and booked at the Snohomish County Jail on the charge of first-degree murder.

At about 6:20 p.m. on April 24, officers responded to 22 W. Madison St. in Everett after receiving a call from a neighbor reporting a man down in the back yard.  When officers arrived, they located a man, 20 to 30 years old, lying on the ground behind the garage; the home was vacant and believed to be bank owned.  Everett Fire personnel confirmed that the man was deceased, and  an initial assessment of the victim showed what appeared to be trauma to the torso area of his body.