KEIZER, Ore. — A 56-year-old woman has been arrested in Washington in connection with the death of her husband at their Keizer home.
Members of the U.S. Marshals Service Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force located Shelly Rae Peca early Monday afternoon along a Forest Service road in a remote area of Chelan County, Washington.
Peca was arrested and transported to the Snohomish County Correctional Facility on a charge of second-degree murder. She is expected to appear before a Washington court and await extradition to Oregon.
The investigation began July 17, when Keizer police found 59-year-old Walter Arthur Peca dead inside his home near River Road Northeast and Cummings Lane North. Officers responded to the area shortly before 10 a.m.
Investigators initially described the death as suspicious before announcing that it was being investigated as a homicide.
Police then began searching for Walter Peca’s wife. Investigators said Shelly Peca was last seen driving a red or maroon 1999 Ford Explorer Sport Trac with Oregon license plate 716 QAX.
The vehicle was observed leaving Keizer at approximately 6:30 a.m. on July 16, one day before Walter Peca was found. It was spotted the following evening in Brewster, Washington, approximately 120 miles northeast of Seattle.
After a search lasting more than a week, members of the federal violent-offender task force located Peca in Chelan County on July 27.
Authorities have not disclosed Walter Peca’s cause of death, what evidence led investigators to Shelly Peca or a possible motive.
The Keizer Police Department said it is working with the Marion County District Attorney’s Office and will release additional information when appropriate.
The second-degree murder charge is an allegation. Shelly Peca is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
