Lights & Sirens

The News Tribune's Lights & Sirens blog provides breaking news, updates on on-going investigations and insights into other news from the Tacoma, Pierce County and South Puget Sound criminal justice community. It also gives The News Tribune an avenue to interact with readers, answer “What was that?” questions and provides a venue for readers to ask about on-going criminal justice issues and problems in their neighborhoods. The blog aims to inform, educate and, at times, entertain with weird or wacky crime news.
The Lineup

Stacey Mulick covers Pierce County crime and safety issues for The News Tribune. She’s worked at The News Tribune since May 1998. Contact her at stacey.mulick@thenewstribune.com.

Adam Lynn covers courts as part of the Crime and Breaking News Team at The News Tribune, where he’s worked since 2003. Lynn has spent nearly half of his 21-year career chronicling criminal justice matters in Washington and won reporting awards for his coverage of serial killer Robert Yates. “The Corpse Had a Familiar Face” by renowned Miami Herald reporter Edna Buchanan is among his favorite books. You can contact him at adam.lynn@thenewstribune.com.

Brian Everstine is a night breaking news and general assignment reporter for The News Tribune. The Spokane native arrived in Tacoma in the summer of 2008 and still is adjusting to life on this side of the mountains. He has written for papers in the Tri-Cities and his hometown. Contact him at brian.everstine@thenewstribune.com.

Occasional contributers:

Database reporter Ian Demsky, ian.demsky@thenewstribune.com.

General assignment reporter Mike Archbold, mike.archbold@thenewstribune.com.

Local crime links
• Tacoma Police Department
• Pierce County Sheriff's Department
• Pierce County Superior Court
• Tacoma-Pierce County Crime Stoppers
• Tacoma Fire Department
• King County Sheriff's Office
• Washington State Patrol
• Seattle Police Department
• Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs
• National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
• Safe Streets

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Lights & Sirens
Go behind the yellow tape with the The News Tribune's Crime & Breaking News Team.
Wednesday, September 17th, 2008
University Place shooting suspect in court today
Posted by Stacey Mulick @ 10:38:49 am

The 91-year-old man suspected of fatally shooting one of his caregivers will make his first court appearance today.

Charges have not yet been filed in the case but that could happen later today.

He's the oldest homicide suspect that I've covered in my 10 years at The News Tribune.

The victim was identified today by the Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office.

Here's today's story about the homicide.

UPDATE: A charge of second-degree murder has been filed against Joe C. Elder.

Read more here.

UPDATE 2: Joe Elder appeared in court today. He was dressed in an orange jail uniform and was wheeled into the courtroom in a wheel chair.

He listened to the proceedings through a voice amplification device.

Pierce County Superior Court Judge Thomas Felnagle found probable cause to charge Elder with second-degree murder. He also ordered him to undergo a 15-day competency evaluation at Western State Hospital.

Elder was not arraigned today. That will occur if he's found competent to proceed.

Categories: All, Pierce County, Homicide, Courts