Body of missing Oak Harbor girl found; man, 18, held
By
Michael Ko
Seattle Times staff reporter
Elaine Sepulveda's body was found in Oak Harbor.
Police found the body of a missing 15-year-old girl buried in a compost pile behind an Oak Harbor house yesterday morning, hours after they arrested an 18-year-old man whom she had described as her boyfriend.
Elaine Sepulveda was last seen alive Nov. 5 near the naval housing area in Oak Harbor.
Police are investigating an ongoing argument over her pregnancy as a possible motive in her slaying. Documents filed in Island County Superior Court by the Oak Harbor Police Department describe how the man wanted Sepulveda to have an abortion but she refused.
Sepulveda told friends her boyfriend was the father-to-be.
The suspect, who is not being named because he has not been charged, is in Island County Jail for investigation of second-degree murder. He is being held in lieu of $500,000 bail. Island County prosecutors have three business days to charge him with a crime.
The break came early yesterday morning when the 18-year-old suspect's grandfather contacted police to turn his grandson in, according to court documents. The grandfather then directed police to his house, near Southeast Regatta Drive and Southeast Sixth Avenue in Oak Harbor. Investigators found the body about 5 a.m.
"We can put her to rest properly," said Sepulveda's mother, Mary Jimenez. "We know in our hearts she's with our Lord Jesus Christ. Please keep our family in your prayers."
Police have interviewed the suspect several times since Sepulveda disappeared. He was the last known person to have seen her alive, and police found some of her clothes at his home.
Investigators believe Sepulveda sneaked out of her house the morning of Nov. 6 and met the suspect at a church next to the grandfather's house.
The suspect lives across town with his mother.
"We believe at that time, that's where she was killed," Oak Harbor police Capt. Rick Wallace said. "Obviously, we've got a long way to go and we've got to prove that speculation on our parts, but that's what we're working toward."
Police said Sepulveda suffered a head injury. The Island County Coroner's Office is expected to finish an autopsy sometime today.
Her family had asked several missing-children advocacy groups for help. Volunteers were preparing yesterday at a local church to begin a weekendlong search when police announced the arrest and discovery.
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