Suquamish murder suspect arrested

SUQUAMISH — Kitsap County Sheriff’s deputies have arrested DuWayne Bender, a 24-year-old Suquamish man, on suspicion of the July murder of Barbara Sneed at her home in Suquamish.

Police arrested Bender at about 7 p.m. Thursday at another Suquamish residence. An arrest warrant was issued after a match was made between DNA evidence at the murder scene and samples given by Bender, said Chief of Detectives Mike Davis.

Davis said the sheriff’s department had been waiting for test results from the state crime lab on samples taken from Bender soon after the murder. Barbara Sneed, 65, died of stab wounds in her home late in July.

The suspect faced a preliminary court appearance yesterday at 3 p.m. and arraignment is scheduled for next week. He is now in custody at the Kitsap County Jail on $1 million bail and charges of first degree murder.

Bender was one of the initial people sheriff’s deputies interviewed. After hearing Bender’s stories that “just didn’t jive,” Davis said, Bender was asked to voluntarily give a sample. About 12 other people were also asked to provide samples.

Kitsap County Sheriff Steve Boyer called the search for Sneed’s killer an exhaustive investigation that meant contacting nearly 100 people and cooperation among the detectives, patrol deputies, Suquamish Tribal Police and the State Crime Lab.

“Our people worked many hours and because of their perseverance the family of Barbara Sneed can now receive some closure to this tragedy,” Boyer said.

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