Suspect charged with premeditated murder of Renton mother

UPDATE: Additional remains were found the afternoon of April 18, and police said they were likely connected to the death of Ingrid Lyne. Follow the link to read those details.

ORIGINAL STORY: The body of a Renton mother was found Saturday in a Central District recycling bin, and her suspected killer was charged Wednesday in King County Superior Court.

Who was the victim?

Ingrid Lyne, age 40. She was from Renton and a mother of three girls and a nurse at Swedish Medical Center.

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Who is the suspect?

John Robert Charlton, 37. He was arrested Monday at his ex-girlfriend's residence in Snohomish County.

King County prosecutors filed charges against him on Wednesday. He's accused of premeditated murder.

How did they meet?

Police have not elaborated exactly, though one of Lyne’s friends wrote on Facebook that they met online. She wrote that Lyne went on a date to the Mariners game, and Lyne’s family responded to that post with Facebook screengrabs of Charlton’s page.

KIRO 7 was sent an online dating profile for the site Plenty of Fish that appears to be Lyne, though that is not posted here because police have not confirmed that profile or said how Lyne and Charlton met online. Charlton had a profile on Plenty of Fish.

According to probable cause documents, a neighbor told police that Lyne had been dating a man named "John."

How long were they dating?

About a month, Charlton told homicide detectives.

When was Lyne last seen?

Friday, April 8, before the Mariners home opener at Safeco Field. Police said her cellphone records were crucial in the investigation. Her ex-husband told police her cellphone was left at her Renton home.

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Search warrant documents elaborating on the investigation have not been made public. Search warrant affidavits and returns are filed in King County Superior Court and will eventually be available.

When was Lyne’s body found and identified?

Her body was found about 4 p.m. Saturday in a recycling bin near 21st Avenue and Pine Street. Police said the remains were packaged and dropped there in plastic bags.

The King County Medical Examiner did not confirm Lyne’s identity Monday, though Seattle Police Chief Kathleen O’Toole said that afternoon investigators were confident the remains were Lyne's. Police said they would not elaborate on details about Lyne’s remains. However, court documents give graphic details about where Lyne's body was found.

On Friday, a garbage collector found more remains, which is likely related to the murder of Lyne, just two blocks away from where the initial discovery of body parts were found Saturday.

When will Charlton be in court next? When was he arrested?

He was in court Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. His next court appearance will be his arraignment after he is charged. Charges are expected Thursday, and an arraignment date will be set after that. Charlton was arrested Monday morning at his ex-girlfriend's residence in Lake Stevens, Snohomish County.

Where can I read the court documents released Tuesday afternoon?

Follow this link to read the court documents against John Charlton, who was held on $2 million bail. WARNING: The details in the court documents are disturbing and graphic. Discretion is advised. The victim's address, names of her family members, and the suspect's cell phone number were redacted by KIRO 7.

Who else in Lyne’s family had contact with Charlton?

Lyne’s mother went through her cell phone that was left at her house and found Charlton’s number. He responded with his name and that he thought Lyne was with her kids on Saturday, according to court documents.

“We went to the Mariners game last night but we didn’t stay the night together because has her kids today … not sure what she has told you about me and our relationship,” police said he wrote. Lyne’s mother said her daughter was missing, asked for help and said the family was desperate for help.

Charlton did not respond.

Where was Lyne killed?

Evidence outlined in court documents suggests that Lyne was killed at her home, though police have not said where she was killed. As of Tuesday evening, the King County Medical Examiner’s office had not released her date of death or the location.

What do we know about Charlton’s history?

We will post additional details here as we confirm them, but here’s what we know so far.

• Charlton was born in Idaho.
• In spring 1997, Charlton was convicted of marijuana possession, with the condition that he could have the charge deferred by completing alcohol information school within 90 days, among other conditions. He complied with the alcohol information school, however the deferred sentence was revoked later that year because of another violation in Auburn.
• The Auburn case was a domestic violence assault case (fourth-degree) filed May 21, 1998, in Auburn Municipal Court. KIRO 7 has requested copies of the case documents.
• In summer 1998, Charlton was arrested for DUI in Washington. That case led to a convicted for first-degree negligent driving, according to court records.
• In 2006, Charlton was convicted of aggravated robbery in Utah.
• Also in 2006, Charlton's parents filed for a protection order saying their son told his mother to "beware" while referencing a copy of "Hannibal" The movie is about serial killer Hannibal Lecter.
• In 2009, Charlton was convicted of felony theft in Montana.
• In October 2015, Charlton was found guilty in Lynnwood Municipal Court of driving without insurance.
• In February 2016, Charlton was stopped for driving a Ford Taurus with expired tags. He listed his address in Seattle's Ravenna neighborhood.

Is Charlton a serial killer?

Police have not said that.

Ray and JoAnn Charlton said in a court document that in 2006 their son had taken the movie "Hannibal" — about fictional serial killer Hannibal Lecter — from a shelf in 2006 and told his mother she should watch it and "beware."

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What about the reports that Charlton’s parents feared him? 

Ray and JoAnn Charlton said in a filing for a restraining order that he had tried to provoke a fight with them while he was drunk and abusive in 2006. That’s where they described the “Hannibal” moment. They also said he had told them "life was putting too much pressure on him" and he felt he was becoming mentally unstable. The restraining order was later dismissed at the parents' request.

Where was Lyne killed?

Evidence outlined in court documents suggests that Lyne was killed at her home, though police have not said where she was killed. As of Tuesday evening, the King County Medical Examiner’s office had not released her date of death or the location.

What does Charlton claimed happen?

This is information from a Seattle Police probable cause statement against Charlton, written by homicide detective J.D. Mudd:

“Charlton acknowledged that he knew Ingrid Lyne and that they had been dating for about a month. He reported that he had spent the night at her residence on previous occasions, and that he and Lyne returned to her residence in her vehicle on the night of Friday April 8, 2016, after attending a Mariners game. Charlton claimed that he had been so intoxicated on Friday night that he could not recall how he and Lyne returned to her residence after the Mariners game, or what transpired when they got there. He said he believed they had sex, and said Lyne was acting ‘weird,’ but could not or would not provide further details.

“Charlton said that he was unsure how he left Lyne’s residence, claiming that he assumed she must have driven him back to Seattle, where, he claimed, he slept on the sidewalk. Charlton said that he didn’t think Lyne had plans with anyone else after their date. Charlton told the detectives that he spent the following Saturday and Sunday nights at the residence of an ex-girlfriend in Lake Stevens.

“During Charlton’s interview with detectives, he denied having any injuries. However, detectives observed abrasions on his forehead, an injury to his lip, and to his chin. He also had scratches to his chest area and an abrasion on his left hand.”

This weekend, a light went out of our lives forever. Ingrid, beloved mother, daughter, sister, and friend was taken from us for reasons we still cannot comprehend. Our hearts are broken and can never be fully mended.

Has the family of Ingrid Lyne talked about the case?

Lyne's family released this statement Tuesday night:

But out of our grief, hope still springs, as does our appreciation. Words cannot express our gratitude to our communities near and far for banding together and expressing their support and ultimately their love.  For this we will be forever grateful.  From the bottom of our hearts, we all thank you.

We would also like to express our appreciation to the Renton and Seattle Police Departments as they work tirelessly to provide all of us the truth around what exactly happened to our beloved Ingrid.  They have been there for our family providing answers, support, and compassion – even feeding the girls cats when we needed.

Lastly, we’d like to give you an update on Ingrid and Phil’s daughters.  While devastated, they have been amazingly resilient and we couldn’t be more proud of how they have handled what will be the worst news of their young lives.  With all of your prayers and positive thoughts, we are able to express to them how much Ingrid meant to all of you and how much you truly love and care for them.  We have truly appreciated all of your respect for their privacy while our primary focus is on them moving through this in a healthy yet honest manner.

Again, thank you to all of you in what has truly been our darkest hour.

On Tuesday, Swedish Medical Center also released a statement.

Why were police looking for Lyne’s vehicle?

Police said they were looking for her Toyota Highlander, and neighbors said she drove her vehicle leaving for the Mariners game on Friday, when she was last seen. It was found late Monday in Seattle after police asked for the public’s help locating it.

Neighbors said a house in the Renton cul-de-sac where Lyne lived has grainy surveillance video of a car pulling into the driveway of Lyne's home and then leaving soon after.

Is Charlton linked to other missing persons cases?

Police had not linked Charlton to any additional cases as of noon Tuesday.

Is Charlton connected to the 2009 disappearance of Nancy Moyer?

Moyer, a 36-year-old mother of two, was last seen in March 2009. The Thurston County case remains unsolved.

It was in Thurston County where Charlton’s parents filed court documents for a restraining order and described Charlton making telling his mother to “beware” with a copy of “Hannibal,” a movie about serial killer Hannibal Lecter. That incident happened in 2006.

Contacted Tuesday, Sgt. Carla Carter with the Thurston County Sheriff’s office said they were not making a link between the Moyer case and the Charlton arrest.

Told about his 2006 incident in Thurston County, Carter asked for Seattle Police contact information and said she would pass along the information to the lead detective in the Moyer case.

Carter said it was “worth looking into.”

What about the Mountlake Terrace death of Cheryl DeBoer?

Mountlake Terrace police said there was no evidence DeBoer’s death was a homicide.

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The 53-year-old mother was found in a culvert last February after a days-long search.

She died of asphyxia from a plastic bag over her head and freshwater drowning, authorities said. Follow this link for additional details about DeBoer's case.

Where can I watch the full Seattle police briefing with Chief Kathleen O’Toole?

That video is embedded below, and it is also on several KIRO 7 Smart TV apps: Roku, Amazon Fire, Samsung and Vizio.

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