TACOMA, Wash. — Tacoma police arrested a suspect Monday after a security guard was found dead by coworkers early Sunday morning.
Patrick Byrne, a U.S. Army Ranger stationed at JBLM, was charged Friday with first-degree burglary, first-degree kidnapping and first-degree murder.
U.S. Army Ranger Patrick Byrne, 26, is charged with murdering Denise Smith, 42, as she worked as a security guard at a Tacoma office building. Bail set at $2M. 5pm @KIRO7Seattle pic.twitter.com/CuQbe9Dw9Y
— Alison Grande (@AlisonKIRO7) July 23, 2021
Police received a 911 call around 6 a.m. from 900 A Street in Tacoma.
When officers responded, a security guard on-site told police that when they arrived for their shift in the morning, they found a coworker unresponsive.
According to police who watched surveillance video of the incident, the security guard watched Byrne approach the locked entrance doors of the building and when she opened the doors to ask him to leave, he barged inside.
Police say the guard grabbed Byrne to stop him, when he took her to the ground and began to beat her with his fists.
While Byrne was on top of her, he grabbed a set of keys and stabbed her in the face multiple times.
After assaulting her for nearly eight minutes, police say Byrne turned the guard over and choked her to death.
She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Byrne’s first court appearance was Friday, where he entered a plea of not guilty.
A judge set bail at $2 million.
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