Authorities have revealed that a 74-year-old man from Washington state was allegedly murdered by a man and woman in connection with a broader financial fraud scheme. The suspects were apprehended in Southern California and are set to be transported back to Washington to face charges of homicide.
The family of Curtis Engeland reported him missing on February 24, a day after he was last spotted at his residence on Mercer Island, located in southern Lake Washington near Seattle, according to a statement released by the police.
Initially treated as a potential kidnapping case, authorities later discovered Engeland's deceased body close to Cosmopolis, a city approximately 100 miles west along the Pacific Coast.
Law enforcement officials disclosed that Engeland had sustained a fatal stab wound to the neck, as reported by CBS affiliate KIRO-TV News.
Cell Phone GPS Leads Police to Body of Murdered Man on Mercer Island
Authorities utilized GPS data from the suspects' mobile phones to locate the body of the victim, Engeland, as per Mercer Island police. The investigation indicates that the suspects had known Engeland for several months prior to his demise and had financially exploited him. It is believed by the police that the suspects confronted Engeland violently at his residence on Mercer Island on the night of Feb. 23 and utilized his vehicle to flee the scene that same evening.
Authorities have not disclosed further information regarding the circumstances of the confrontation. However, Mercer Island police mentioned that their detectives suspect both individuals departed from Washington state shortly after Engeland's murder. Allegedly, the suspects then acquired new vehicles and changed their mobile phones in an attempt to conceal their movements.
The suspects have been identified as Philip Brewer, 32, and Christina Hardy, 47, as reported by KIRO News Radio, citing information from the police and court documents filed by the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office.
According to prosecutors, Brewer and Hardy allegedly devised a plan to kill the victim and take over his residence, along with his financial assets, immediately after his murder. They purportedly used Engeland's phone post-mortem to fabricate conversations between themselves, aiming to deceive authorities into believing he was still alive.
CBS News reached out to the Mercer Island Police Department for additional information but did not receive an immediate response.
