LAKE STEVENS, Wash. — A man with a violent history who police say studied al-Qaeda training manuals has been arrested for the stabbing death of a 20-year old Lake Stevens woman.
Phillipa S. Evans-Lopez was found bound with electrical cords in a bedroom June 17. The homicide scene was near 15th Street Southeast and 93rd Avenue Southeast.
Police say the killer is 25 year-old Anthony Garver. He was already wanted by the Feds for violating parole. He appeared in court Wednesday afternoon and displayed some bizarre behavior: he interrupted his attorney and talked back to the judge.
Kris Evans is the victim’s mother. She wasn’t in the courtroom, but heard about his behavior.
“It’s one of those things. He has to be crazy, but you want him to be competent,” said Evans.
She described her daughter as outgoing, social, fun to be around, “she liked to meet people and she trusted too easily.”
Police searched Evans-Lopez's Dodge Durango in her driveway and found a McDonalds receipt from June 14. Investigators went to the McDonalds and obtained surveillance video of her there with an unknown man.
Forensic items from the homicide scene were sent to the State Patrol Crime Lab, and on June 27 police were told a swab taken from the end of one electrical cord matched a database entry for Anthony E. Garver.
He is a felon for threats to kill another person and at the time of Evans-Lopez's homicide, had a U.S. Marshal's warrant for escape. Police say Garver has a mental history, is anti-government, has a history of military style weapons and explosives, and has threatened to shoot anyone who confronts him.
Investigators said he threatened to blow up a government building in Spokane and threatened to kill a judge and prosecutor. In a 2009 arrest, Garver was found in camouflage gear in the Spokane woods. Police said in the McDonalds video, he was wearing a camouflage backpack.
In late June, police said Garver sent a note to his mother apologizing – and saying he'd never go back to prison.
"I also learned that Anthony has wanted to create explosive devices in the past using fertilizer and has aspired to emulate [Oklahoma City bomber] Timothy McVeigh," an officer wrote in Garver's probable case documents.
"Anthony has also studied and downloaded bomb making information from Anarchist Cookbook's and has studied Al-Queda training manuals. I've also learned that Anthony is an experienced survivalist, commits burglaries in rural areas to sustain his life, is a loaner and has threatened mass casualty involving large events."
Garver, who also is known as Anthony Burke, was arrested Tuesday at an Everett fast food restaurant. Police found a knife in his right front pants pocket.
Garver, who insisted his name was Deryk Garver, denied knowing Evans-Lopez or being to her house. Police said his DNA was found at the scene, but he still didn't admit killing her.
"After we finished interviewing Anthony, I examined the above mentioned folding knife removed from Anthony's pant pocket," a detective wrote in court documents. "The knife, which had a 3-inch blade, contained red staining.
Police thought it was blood and confronted Garver again, but he responded, "I've told you everything I want to say!"
Kris Evans wants to know more, “The one question I have is why and I don’t know if he’ll ever answer that.”
Garver was held without bail on Wednesday. He'll be back in court on Monday, July 8th for a bail hearing.
KIRO
