Rufus man wanted for murder in WA
By Terry Murry on Friday, March 24th, 2023 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
TOPPPENISH and GOLDENDALE, Washington – Law enforcement continues to search for John Scott Raczykowski, 31, of Rufus, Oregon. He is wanted in connection with the recent discovery of two burned bodies on the in Toppenish, Washington, on the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation Reservation.
Klickitat County Sheriff Bob Songer said on March 16 an FBI task force out of Yakima contacted the Klickitat County Department of Emergency Management about the deaths of Elisha Ann King, 34, and Jeremy Allen Wyatt, 35, both of Yakima. The FBI said one of the suspects was believed to be in the Goldendale area.
On March 17, a Goldendale police officer, and Klickitat County Sheriff’s deputy, along with agents from the FBI task force, located a vehicle associated with one of the suspects in the case in Goldendale. A traffic stop was conducted on the associated vehicle and two subjects were taken into custody.
The first subject was determined to be Larry Duane Kleven, 57, of Goldendale, who was determined to be a suspect in the burning of the two bodies. Kleven was booked into the Klickitat County Jail for rendering criminal assistance in the first-degree and tampering with physical evidence. The second subject was determined not to be involved in the incident involving the burned bodies, but was found to have a warrant for his arrest in an unrelated case.
Through the investigation, the second suspect was identified as Raczykowski. He is believed to have shot King and Wyatt before their bodies were set on fire. Investigators believed Raczykowski was then driven to Rufus, Oregon. The Sherman County Sheriff’s Office, The Dalles Police Department SWAT Team, and the Mid-Columbia SWAT Team, attempted to arrest Raczykowski at his residence, but he had left about 20 minutes before law enforcement arrived.
Warrants have been issued for Raczykowski charging him with two counts of first-degree murder. He is believed to be armed and dangerous. Anyone with information about his whereabouts may contact the Klickitat County Sheriff’s Office at 509-773-4545.
