A Hockinson man was arrested in connection to his wife’s death in what is alleged to be a murder-for-hire that occurred at their residence on March 23.
James Rummell, 49, appeared in Clark County Superior Court on Friday, March 29, and was held without bail for a further hearing on Monday, April 1, which took place after press time.
The Clark County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) Major Crimes Unit, with assistance from the tactical detective and special investigations units, arrested Rummell on charges of accomplice to murder in the first degree and accomplice to burglary in the first degree for the slaying of his wife, Lindy Rummell, 60, of Brush Prairie. According to initial reports, Lindy Rummell was found deceased by her husband and two of his friends. A 2001 black Ford F-150 was reported missing from the scene, initially indicating a burglary/homicide.
James Rummell was booked into Clark County Jail on Thursday, March 28, after being released on bail following a previous March 24 arrest due to suspicion of making false statements to a public servant, according to police reports.
Earlier last week, law enforcement received a tip about a possible suspect in the murder. Law enforcement in Eugene, Oregon, arrested a friend of James Rummell in relation to the case.
A Eugene man provided information that he picked up Darrell Riley, 55, from Monroe, Oregon. Riley transferred multiple items into the man’s vehicle from a pickup truck, which Riley then set on fire before they left, according to court documents.
Riley then allegedly told the man about his involvement in the murder of Lindy Rummell, court documents state. According to the court records, Riley told the man he had been hired to kill a woman and shot her five times with a .25 caliber handgun while subsequently staging it to look like a burglary, which is where he got the stolen items, including two long guns. Riley allegedly told the man he was approached by James Rummell 10 months ago and said he would receive $35,000 from a subsequent life insurance payout after Lindy Rummell’s death, the court documents state. According to the tip, Riley was not paid yet.
On March 23, CCSO detectives found Lindy Rummell with gunshot wounds to her neck, side and groin area. Five .25 automatic caliber casings were discovered in the residence, as well.
The Eugene Police Department arrested Riley after the stolen Ford F-150 was recovered in a rural part of Benton County, Oregon. The vehicle was found damaged by fire, a previous CCSO release stated.
In an interview between CCSO detectives and James Rummell after the truck had been found, he told detectives, on the day of his wife’s murder, he had filled the Ford F-150 and two 5-gallon gas cans with gas, according to court records.
After detectives told James Rummell they believed Riley was involved in the murder, they confronted him about “the veracity of his claim that he had been aimlessly driving around for hours,” court records state.
According to court documents, James Rummell admitted driving to Eugene to see and support Riley before returning to Clark County. He told detectives he informed Riley he had plans that evening and dropped him off in rural Hockinson — thinking Riley would find a way back to Eugene with public transportation, records state.
Based on the inconsistencies with James Rummell’s first statements, CCSO detectives had reason to arrest him with probable cause of providing false statements to a public servant.
Riley has been identified as the primary suspect in the case and awaits extradition to Clark County from jail in Oregon.
