Everett man arrested after suspected fatal landlord argument

EVERETT, Wash. (AP) — A man was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder and tampering with physical evidence after investigators believe he killed his landlord in Everett, Washington, authorities said.

The wife of the landlord went looking for her overdue husband Saturday after he went to check on one of their commercial properties in southeast Everett, the Daily Herald reported Monday.

The woman told authorities that her husband's truck and cellphone were outside and she saw a tenant cleaning up drops of blood outside their rental property.

She called 911 and told the dispatcher she believed the man had killed her husband after the tenant was told his lease would not be renewed, authorities said.

Everett police officers later broke into the renter's apartment to discover a wet floor and the smell of bleach, investigators said. No body was found.

A police report shows officers discovered shipping materials, cleaning supplies and a large banner with what they believe to be blood stains in the building's dumpster.

Police located the suspect that night, who maintained that he had not argued with or harmed the landlord and didn’t know where he was.

The suspect, who is 40, was not identified. He was booked into the Snohomish County Jail. His bail was set at $500,000.