Docs: Pair robs suspected dealer for drugs, kills him and puts his body in a trunk before burning the car

RANDLE, Wash. - Two people have been arrested in connection to an April homicide investigation where a body was found inside the trunk of a burning car in eastern Lewis County. 

The vehicle was found on April 12 near Randle, a small town that has SR 12 running through it. According to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO), a driver who was sent to impound a burned abandoned blue Honda Civic called 911 saying there appeared to be a body inside. 

During the course of their investigation, detectives determined that the homicide occurred in the Grand Mound area of Thurston County. 

Grand Mound is about 70 miles from Randle. 

According to court documents obtained by FOX 13, detectives were tracking the Honda before it was even reported to be abandoned and one fire-- the owner was reportedly a narcotics distributor. The Tahoma Narcotics Enforcement Team (TNET) was tracking that person and the vehicle. They last had a hit on his whereabouts three days before the car was found burning. 

On July 14, one of the suspects, Melville Tangen, was located and arrested. Five days later, after a short pursuit with Centralia Police, a second suspect, Jason Butterton, was arrested. Both were booked in Thurston County Jail for second-degree murder.

An associate of Tangen told police in an interview that Tangen told him he was going to rob his dealer. That associate told officers that Tangen paid him in meth and fentanyl to tow a blue Honda Civic.

The associate said he asked Tangen if there was a body in the trunk, having heard about prompts to rob a dealer, and Tangen denied that there was, according to court documents. 

That associate was the one to set the car on fire, he told police in an interview. He told officers he thought he was helping a friend get rid of a stolen car.

The victim was shot several times. Court documents say witnesses heard gunshots when the victim was at a home with Tangen, but they didn't see the victim get shot. 

According to court documents, Butteron said he saw the robbery take place and heard gunshots.