Progress made in Mattawa murder case

MATTAWA - The two most recent murders in Grant County have not yet been solved, but Sheriff Tom Jones reported Friday, Oct. 26, that detectives are making progress.

The first murder happened near Mattawa. The body of a woman who was found shot dead on Oct. 16. Investigators have not yet released identification.

The second murder was discovered on Oct. 17 when 29-year-old Tracy Fullbright of Soap Lake was found shot dead along Road 10 NE north of Moses Lake.

For each case, Jones said, investigators have interviewed several people and have collected evidence. The specifics of the interviews and evidence will not be revealed while investigators focus on arresting probable suspects.

"It is very important for Grant County citizens to know the two homicides are not related," Jones said. "Each victim appears to have been targeted. Neither homicide was random."

The Mattawa victim was still not identified as of Friday. It took several days for authorities to determine the victim was a woman.

According to the Grant County Sheriff's Office, the woman's body was found by a hunter north of a fish and wild life access area, near the 22000 block of Road 26 SW, approximately three miles southwest of the city limits.

Fullbright's body was found in a ditch north of Moses Lake. He, too, had been shot.

Anyone with information about either of these cases is urged to contact the Grant County Sheriff's Office at 509-754-2011 ext. 468, or send information to crimetips@co.grant.wa.us. Tipsters can remain anonymous.

According to Jones, information received through crimetips e-mail has provided investigators with good leads in both cases.