THURSTON COUNTY, Wash. — A missing 82-year-old woman from Tenino has been found dead, partially encased in concrete, underneath a shed in Olympia.
Detectives with the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office say they found Marcia Norman’s body on April 9— five days after she was reported missing.
Detectives recently named her handyman, Jeffrey Zizz, as a person of interest; they believed he was the last person to see her alive.
“He told us they had dinner together. He’s not the average handyman to this family,” Lt. Mike Brooks told KIRO 7. “He’s a good family friend, so it doesn’t necessarily seem like having dinner together would be uncommon,” Lt. Mike Brooks told KIRO 7.
Detectives claim that Zizz built a shed at a piece of property in Olympia, the day after Norman was reported missing. On April 9th, Detectives obtained power equipment to move the shed and excavate the ground beneath it.
Detectives discovered human remains buried under the shed and partially encased in concrete. On April 10th, the Thurston County Coroner’s Office confirmed the remains belonged to Norman.
Detectives say that while they were looking into Zizz, he ran away to Missoula, Montana. This violated his sentencing for an unrelated sex offense, and he was arrested.
On April 13, detectives extradited Zizz to Washington. He is now in the Thurston County Jail on a no-bail hold for his child molestation probation violation warrant, while Detectives finish gathering evidence to determine.
Court documents show Zizz’s previous case had to do with child molestation and inappropriate electronic communication with a minor.
Thurston County prosecutors say Zizz served 11 months behind bars as part of that case and was currently serving a 93-month probationary period. Because of this violation, they plan to ask a judge to revoke the probation and send Zizz back behind bars for 93 months — over seven years.
As the investigation into Norman’s death continues, loved ones are holding tight to the positive memories they share with her.
“She loved to smile,” said Norman’s niece, Traci Kistenmacher. “Everybody loved Marci.”
Kistenmacher said her aunt gave the best hugs and was always doing thoughtful things to look out for those she loved.
“She would hug you and she would tell you, ‘Everything was going to be okay,’” she said.
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