A Police SWAT team reported finding a body believed to be that of murder suspect Peter Keller in a bunker in the woods near North Bend, WA, around 10 a.m., Saturday, April 28, the King County Sheriff's Office said.
King County Sheriff’s spokesperson Sgt. Cindi West said the "TAC 30" SWAT team used an explosive to breach the roof of the heavily fortified hideout, which allowed enough access for the deputies to enter the bunker. Once inside deputies discovered a body that they said appeared to be Keller, and it appeared as though he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Keller has been wanted by police since last Sunday, when his wife, Lynettee Rocha Keller, and daughter, Kaylene Keller, Police used photos recovered from the home and tips from area hikers to track the location of the bunker, just near the trailhead of the Rattlesnake Ridge Trail near North Bend. Keller last week.
The Sheriff’s Office will use its Bomb Disposal Unit to clear the bunker to ensure there are no explosives or booby traps. Once the bunker has been cleared detectives will enter the bunker and conduct a crime scene investigation, according to a press release from the sheriff's office.
The King County Medical Examiner's Office will conduct an investigation to determine actual cause of death and positively identify the body.
KING 5 News reported that officers saw lights go on in the bunker Friday night, and that several officers have been treated for exhaustion during the lengthy operation.
