Local News

<< Previous   of   Next >> (click to enlarge)  Photo Gallery: Cold Case Cards   ADVERTISEMENT   Related Stories • Woman's slaying still unsolved despite twist 1/4/09 • Reuben Lewis went missing in early 1991 12/28/08 • '93 slaying hangs over mother's life 12/21/08 • Young couple's slaying confounds detective 12/14/08 • Young mother was fatally shot in her home 11/30/08 • Mother looks to God after daughter is slain 11/23/08 • Cold case: Mother still has hope for missing daughter 11/16/08 • Mother's pain still fresh 25 years after daughter's death 11/9/08 • Cold Case: Hope persists that woman will be found 11/2/08 • Mother longs for answers in son's death 10/26/08 • God replaces fear for slaying victim's sister 10/19/08 • Police believe '91 slaying was drug related 10/12/08 • Cold Case: 'There was no reason' for death 10/5/08 • Man was helping others at time of his death 9/28/08 • Cold Case: Detectives don't believe mother's disappearance in '94 was voluntary 9/21/08   CONTACT THE HERALD Robert Frank, City Editor frank@heraldnet.com   Published: Sunday, July 27, 2008 No one would say how inmate was killed By Diana Hefley Herald Writer MONROE -- Their code of silence was as strong as the walls that kept them from freedom. Inmates at the Washington State Reformatory saw what happened to Brian Anderson in the prison yard. They refused to talk about the 1999 brutal attack, at least not enough to help Monroe police and prison officials catch the killer. Anderson, 31, is on the eight of diamonds in the state's first deck of cold-case playing cards. Snohomish County sheriff's detectives have handed out the cards to jail and prison inmates in hopes of turning up new leads in unsolved homicides and missing person cases. Anderson is one of two prison inmates in the deck. Violence landed Anderson behind bars in Monroe. He was serving a 41-year sentence for a vicious attack in 1996 in the Spokane Valley. He kidnapped a woman, raped her and tied her to a tree with wire. Three years later someone pummeled Anderson in the prison's big yard. The blow was fatal. Anderson collapsed in front of a guard and died a short time later. His family deserves answers, Monroe police spokeswoman Debbie Willis said. "Somebody did something to him that shouldn't have been done," she said. "I don't know where that person is living. They could be living in our community. We can't tolerate that type of violence." At the time, investigators believed Anderson was killed over drugs. He was dealing dope to other inmates. Authorities found marijuana hidden in the soles of his tennis shoes. Police believe another prisoner demanded drugs from Anderson. When Anderson refused, he was attacked. At least two witnesses spoke to authorities. They were afraid to snitch. Both refused to sign a statement or testify in court. The investigation grew cold. Now, police hope someone will have a change of heart, break their silence, and help bring a killer to justice. Reporter Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463 or hefley@heraldnet.com. About this series Snohomish County sheriff's detectives created the state's first deck of cold-case playing cards. Each Sunday for a year, The Herald is publishing a story about a case featured on one of the cards. The 52 cards can be viewed at www.heraldnet.com. Anyone with information about unsolved homicides or missing persons cases is asked to call 800-222-TIPS (8477). Up to a $1,000 reward is offered. Tips also can be left on the sheriff's tip line at 425-388-3845. Callers may remain anonymous, although tips have been more successful when callers speak with detectives, police said.

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