Burien Police / King County Sheriff’s Office confirms that three people were arrested Saturday night at the residence of Michael Lee Dudley, the 62-year old charged with murdering two and trying to dispose of their dismembered bodies in suitcases in the water off West Seattle in June.
Police say that three individuals were reported trespassing on Dudley’s property in the 16800 block of Ambaum Blvd. S. on Saturday night, Aug. 22, 2020 at about 6:15 p.m.
Burien patrol responded and took two males and a female into custody.
“They had cut the padlock on the main gate and were in the process of towing a vehicle off the property when interrupted,” Sgt. Ryan Abbott told The B-Town Blog. “All three were booked for burglary.”
It is unknown why they were trying to tow the vehicle away.
Dudley was formally charged with two counts of Murder in the Second Degree by the King County Prosecutor’s Office on Monday. He is charged in the death and dismemberment of Austin Wenner, 27 and Jessica Lewis, 35, whose body parts were found inside suitcases that washed ashore near Duwamish Head in West Seattle on June 19.
According to changing documents:
“While the precise motive for this crime is not yet fully known, the evidence to date shows that the defendant was angry with the victims for not paying rent and for bringing potential criminal activity to the Ambaum home. The defendant, likely with the aid of others, dismembered the two victims after he killed them, separated their bodies into multiple bags and suitcases and tried to hide them in different bodies of water. This process would have taken a lot of time and effort and his willingness to take these extreme steps demonstrates the threat he poses to the community. The atrocities inflicted on the bodies of the victim after their murder has greatly increased the anguish and suffering of their families. This case is still under active investigation and additional charges may be forthcoming.”
Read our previous coverage of this tragic story here.