EVERETT, Wash. - Prosecutors say a man charged with murder in the death of his ex-girlfriend dismembered her body and asked a friend to drive him around Snohomish County to dispose of the remains.
Prosecutors say the friend eventually contacted investigators and led them to spots were body parts were recovered.
Eric Christensen of Gold Bar was charged Friday in Snohomish County Superior Court with first-degree murder in the slaying of 35-year-old Sherry Harlan.
Prosecutors say Harlan was killed sometime between Jan. 2 and 3 after Christensen found a text message from another man on her cellphone.
Court papers say the 40-year-old Christensen told police the message was evidence that Harlan had broken a "Wiccan blood oath" she'd made to break off a relationship with the other man.
Harlan was reported missing Jan. 5 after she failed to show up for work. Her burned-out car was found Jan. 7 on a road off U.S. Highway 2 with partial human remains inside.
Court documents say when police entered Harlan's apartment, blood was found in several places, and a bloody shoeprint was found on a t-shirt. There was a strong odor of bleach and evidence that someone had tried to clean up the apartment. Portions of flooring and carpeting had been cut up.
The documents say Christensen could be seen on store surveillance video driving Harlan's car and purchasing cleaning items.
