Man arrested after body found on trail

10:49 PM PDT on Monday, May 23, 2005

KING5.com

BELLEVUE, Wash. - A transient was arrested Monday after he was found near the body of a woman in what police now say may have been a random attack.

The murder would be the first in the city in the last seven years.

Police have not released the identity of the woman, whose body was found on a trail that links Bellevue Community College with a park-and-ride lot near Interstate 90.

Police believe the woman, believed to be in her 30s, was using the trail to get to an appointment, but is not a student at BCC.

A pedestrian alerted police shortly after 9 a.m. Monday when he saw a shirtless man on the trail, apparently becoming concerned because there is a day care nearby.

"The person just didn't look like he belonged. He apparently tried to lay down and hide when the guy went by. Because there's a day care in the area, he decided to give us a call," said Capt. Bill Ferguson, Bellevue Police.

The pedestrian said the man was acting strangely and attempted to hide in the bushes.

Responding police found the 29-year-old man near the body of the woman and arrested him. He did not resist arrest.

The transient had just moved to the area and was living in his car.

The winding trail is used mostly by students and citizens to get from BCC to the park-and-ride.

It is not clear how the woman died. Her identity was not immediately released, but police said she lived just north of BCC.

Police will investigate whether this was also a sex crime.

The suspect is being held at the King County Jail for investigation of homicide.