E-FILED IN COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE PIERCE COUNTY, WASHINGTON March 18 2013 11:53 AM

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SUPERIOR COURT OF WASHINGTON FOR PIERCE COUNTY STATE OF WASHINGTON, Plaintiff, vs. TONY JAMES BARRETT, CAUSE NO. 13-1-01107-9

KEVIN STOCK COUNTY CLERK

DECLARATION FOR DETERMINATION OF PROBABLE CAUSE

Defendant.

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PHILIP K. SORENSEN, declares under penalty of perjury:

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That I am a deputy prosecuting attorney for Pierce County and I am familiar with the police report and/or investigation conducted by the PIERCE COUNTY SHERIFF, incident number 130721071; That the police report, the oral report of Detective Brian Lund and and/or investigation provided me the following information; That in Pierce County, Washington, on or about the 13th day of March, 2013, the defendant, TONY JAMES BARRETT, did commit the crime of murder. On the above date at 6:50 p.m. BARRETT called KOMO News to report that he had killed his wife and that she would be found in Puyallup. KOMO called Puyallup Police who called the Pierce County Sheriffs Department. A KOMO News employee told investigators that a male caller wanted KOMO to post information for him on their Facebook account. The caller said that he had killed his wife of 28 years. The employee tried to ask the man some question and the man hung up. Simultaneously, relatives of Sara Barrett called law enforcement to report her missing. The relatives indicated that they had been advised by friends that BARRETT claimed that his wife, Sara Barrett, was dead and that he had done something bad. Investigators began to look for vehicles associated with the Barretts. On March 14 at 0250 hours police spotted BARRETTS truck driving the wrong way on I-705. The truck was followed onto westbound SR 16 and a high speed pursuit commenced. Near the Wollochet exit the truck was disabled. A man, later identified as BARRETT, exited the truck and failed to comply with commands. A K-9 unit was deployed and BARRETT was subdued. BARRETT was transported to a local trauma center for injuries as well as a possible over-the-counter drug overdose. Eventually BARRETT told detectives that Sara would probably be found in a local motel, although he provided at least two possible locations. BARRETT said that she was still breathing when I left her. Detectives spoke with BARRETT a second time. BARRETT said he and Sara went to the motel, had sex then got into a fight. BARRETT said Sara won the fight. BARRETT said he left the motel and left the van at the Walmart on Mountain Highway but left her with $100 so she could take a cab back to her car in Dupont. Detectives located Sara in a room of the Motel 6 in the 1800 block of South 76th Street. She was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy determined that she died as a result of asphyxiation and was characterized as a homicide. She also suffered two relatively deep but superficial lacerations to her neck. DECLARATION FOR DETERMINATION OF PROBABLE CAUSE -1
Office of the Prosecuting Attorney 930 Tacoma Avenue South, Room 946 Tacoma, WA 98402-2171 Main Office (253) 798-7400

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Through interviews and a collection of surveillance video footage detectives were able to piece together a time line of the most recent events. According to Detective Lund, days before the incident Sara filed for divorce. BARRETT was aware of the filing. Sara worked at a business in Dupont. On March 13 she made arrangements to leave work early so she could drive to Longview to pick up her son. At approximately 2 p.m. she left work and called her son to confirm she would pick him up. Minutes later a van was observed stopping near Saras car. A person got out of the van and walked to Saras car. After a short conversation the person got into Saras car. Saras car drove away. 40 minutes later Saras car returned. It appears Sara and the person exit Saras car. Both Sara and the person get into the van via the passenger side. The van left the scene and did not return. Detectives eventually located Saras car where it was left. Detectives determined that BARRETT had purchased the van a day or two prior to the incident. At approximately 3:30 p.m. Saras son called from Longview and spoke to Sara. Sara told him she was stuck in traffic. At approximately 4:45 p.m. BARRETT check into the Motel 6. BARRETT was visible on surveillance footage. In the background a person wearing clothing consistent with Saras can be seen. At 5:20 p.m. BARRETT purchased food at a nearby fast food restaurant. During the course of the investigation detectives located BARRETTS van in the parking lot of the Walmart on Mountain highway. Video surveillance showed that at 6:20 p.m. BARRETTS van entered the Walmart parking lot. Shortly thereafter BARRETTS truck was observed leaving the Walmart. Sara and BARRETTS current girlfriend had communicated over the week prior to the murder. Sara told BARRETTS girlfriend that she was becoming increasingly afraid of BARRETT. BARRETTS van and truck and Saras car were searched. In the van detectives found a sock, blanket and pillow with blood on them, a sweatshirt with Saras car keys in a pocket, a ripped tank top, a fixed blade knife. The back seat laid down flat. In Saras car detectives located blood on the steering column. In BARRETTS truck detectives found a receipt for Advil PM and notes to his family that he had done something bad. In the hotel investigators found Saras clothing, her purse and a utility knife. When BARRETT was arrested detectives found the motel room key in his pants pocket. There is a history of domestic violence related incidents including a felony assault case charged in 2007. In that event he suffocated her with a pillow. The event was broken up by one of the couples sons. BARRETT was booked into the Pierce County Jail on March 17, 2013. The investigation is ongoing. Additional charges may be added if appropriate. I DECLARE UNDER PENALTY OF PERJURY UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON THAT THE FOREGOING IS TRUE AND CORRECT. DATED: March 18, 2013 PLACE: TACOMA, WA

/s/ PHILIP K. SORENSEN PHILIP K. SORENSEN, WSB# 16441 DECLARATION FOR DETERMINATION OF PROBABLE CAUSE -2
Office of the Prosecuting Attorney 930 Tacoma Avenue South, Room 946 Tacoma, WA 98402-2171 Main Office (253) 798-7400