Investigators solve 1988 Puyallup River murder case

Pierce County investigators have solved an unsolved murder case – an 18-year-old girl whose body washed up on the banks of the Puyallup River 36 years ago.

Investigators used DNA technology to identify her suspected killer, a man who died of cancer in 2022.

Tracy Whitney, 18, was last seen on August 28, 1988 at a Burger King in Federal Way. Less than 24 hours later, she was discovered dead in the river.

In the weeks and years after her death, investigations into the background and those responsible produced no results.

Investigators interviewed potential suspects and obtained DNA. Some agreed to take lie detector tests. Finally, each suspect was slowly and methodically eliminated as a possible person of interest.

“Despite numerous efforts and leads, the investigation stalled and over time, with no progress and inability to move forward, the case eventually went cold,” Detective Sergeant Lindsay Kirkegaard said in a statement released by the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department Video.

During the original investigation in 2005, a DNA profile of the suspect was uploaded to the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), a national database created and maintained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Advances in DNA technology and the hard work of a retired sheriff’s detective have helped identify a now-deceased suspect in the 1988 murder of 18-year-old Tracy Whitney. (Photos: Pierce County Sheriff’s Department.)

Due to the technical limitations of this time period, the DNA submission did not result in the identification of a suspect.

In 2021, after more than three decades, now-retired Detective Sergeant Lynelle Anderson reviewed the case as a possible candidate for a grant application to the Washington State Attorney General’s Office.

Anderson resubmitted Tracy’s swabs to take advantage of the newer, more advanced technology available at the Washington State Crime Lab.

The newly obtained DNA profile was uploaded to CODIS a second time.

Unfortunately there were still no matches.

Then in March 2022, the retired detective tried a different approach.

She sent the DNA extract to Parabon Labs, a Reston, Virginia-based company that provides DNA services to law enforcement agencies.

In August 2022, the first results were available that showed that the DNA could be traced back to family lines back to the 18th century^Th Century.

The researchers created a genetic family tree and the results were returned to John Guillot Jr.

But John was no longer alive. He had died of cancer in 2022, eight months before the DNA confirmation results arrived.

“He had also been cremated, so there was no DNA to compare to the suspect’s DNA profile,” Kirkegaard said in the video released by the sheriff’s office.

Anderson didn’t give up.

She contacted the Washington State Patrol and found that they could confirm Guillot’s identity by using other family members’ DNA as a comparison.

Investigators discovered that John had a son, John Guillot III, who had also recently died.

With the assistance of the medical examiner’s office, they obtained his DNA and then compared it with the male DNA from Tracy’s body.

The results showed that the killer’s DNA found in her body did not come from John Guillot III, but that John Guillot III was a biological child of murder suspect John Guillot Jr.

“Throughout the investigation there was no evidence in the case, but nothing indicated that Tracy was in any way familiar with John,” Kirkegaard said. “This led investigators to believe that this case was a case of kidnapping, rape and murder by a stranger. No formal charges could be brought against him over John’s death. The case was then closed with the reason “the perpetrator’s death.”

Tracy’s younger sister and her father come forward after finding out who was responsible for her rape and murder after all these years.

They talked about how much she loved Tracy and what a great loss her death was.

“Tracy was a good big sister,” said Robin Whitney, Tracy’s sister. “She has been greatly missed throughout my life. It was really hard growing up without a sister. But I’m just glad we finally found out who did this and she can rest in peace.”

Her father says everyone who knew Tracy admired and respected her.

Tracy Whitney, pictured with her younger sister. (Photo: Pierce County Sheriff’s Dept.)

“I just want people to know that Tracy was a good kid,” said Tracy’s father, Ron Whitney. “She was a young lady that all the little kids in the neighborhood looked up to. The best way I can describe her is in the words of her best friend’s mother: “Tracy was sweet. She was family.'”

Detective Kirkegaard emphasizes the importance of continuing to investigate unsolved cases like Tracy’s.

“One of the hardest things for families in cases like this is the lack of knowledge, just all the unknown questions, the unresolved, no answers,” Kirkegaard said. “Even though no arrest is possible in this case, it’s still very important that we do what we can to try to give the family some of those answers, some closure and hopefully just help with some of the healing process.” .”

The investigators initially didn’t have much choice in the search for the murderer.

What they knew for certain was that she disappeared on a warm August evening in 1988 and was found dead in the Puyallup River less than 24 hours later.

And after all the hard work, the persistence of detectives and DNA technology has helped her family answer some of the many questions she has been asking for so long.

“Cold cases are extremely important to our community,” Kirkegaard said. “I joined the Cold Case Unit to help families find answers to seemingly impossible questions, to hold people accountable when necessary and, most importantly, to never forget these victims.”

“Although there has been no arrest in this particular case, I hope the family can find some peace knowing that Tracy’s case is finally solved.”

Thomas Brock is a weekend anchor, editor and reporter for KIRO Newsradio.