BEND, Ore. (KOIN) — The disappearance of a 23-year-old Bend woman became a homicide investigation Tuesday morning, the same day a local police officer’s husband was arrested in connection with the case, officials confirmed.
Kaylee Sawyer vanished early Sunday morning in the area of Central Oregon Community College. Her family said she was last seen just before 1 a.m.
She had her cellphone with her when she disappeared, but police said it may have been turned off. Her car was left at home. In a notice to the public, police said she was last seen wearing a black dress, brown boots and carrying a green purse.
“The investigation… led officers to multiple addresses in the Redmond, Oregon area,” police said. “Information gathered… [on Monday] has changed the type of investigation from a missing person to a homicide investigation.”
Volunteers met at 21772 Repine Drive around 7:30 a.m. Tuesday to conduct a search for Sawyer in the area. Police haven’t revealed any details about what was found.
Documents: Edwin Lara hit Kaylee Sawyer with car, dumped body before fleeing to California
On Tuesday, officials revealed 31-year-old Edwin Lara, who worked as a part-time public safety officer at the community college, was a “primary suspect” in the case.
Lara is married to Isabel Ponce-Lara, a police officer who was recently hired with Bend Police Department. She reportedly reached out to Redmond police to let them know her husband may have been involved in Sawyer’s disappearance.
Lara and another woman, Aundreah Maes of Salem, were arrested after an early morning crime spree in Yreka, California, according to police in the area.
Police said they were arrested after Lara allegedly shot someone in a motel and stole a car at gunpoint while 3 people were inside. Lara reportedly dropped the 3 victims off at an unspecified location and drove away. They were all unharmed.
Authorities caught up with them north of Redding and took them in to custody.
The elderly man shot at the motel was taken to a hospital where he is in critical but stable condition.
Lara and Maes were charged with attempted murder, kidnapping, carjacking and burglary in Yreka. Police later said all charges against Maes were dropped after they determined she was a victim.
Maes’ great uncle, Jerry Miranda, told KOIN 6 News his niece was kidnapped and that he drove to Yreka Tuesday night to pick her up.
At a press conference in Bend, authorities revealed Lara was also charged with murder.
Court documents released Tuesday show Lara allegedly hit Sawyer with his car and dumped her body. Sawyer had been out at a bachelorette party that night.
Ponce-Lara has been cooperative in the investigation. Anyone with information on the case is asked to call Detective Todd Guthrie at 541.322.2984.
A vigil was held at Bend’s Discovery Park Tuesday night to honor Sawyer’s memory.
Her family released the following statement:
“Our hearts are broken. We do want to thank all of the volunteers who came out to search for Kaylee. The Destiny Search Project processed and used over 250 volunteers completing nearly 50 total searches. Today, they also covered over 3 square miles of area including some rugged areas. We want to also thank all of the local businesses that provided, food, water, and a variety of other needs. Your community has come together and shown the power of love, hope, and humanity. This evening once again Bend stood strong together in support of Kaylee and her family at the prayer vigil. There were close to 200 persons attending and it was an amazing sight for the family that was in attendance. The families involved want to let everyone know how thankful they are for the amazing and wonderful support that this entire community has been, and will continue to be in their time of need. Again we thank you all for support over the past few days, we also ask that the family is allowed privacy and time to grieve together and that they not be disturbed.”
Detectives with Redmond Police Department, Bend Police Department, Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Sunriver Police Department, Black Butte Police Department, the Oregon State Police, the Oregon State Police Crime Lab and the Deschutes County District Attorney’s Office are involved in the investigation.The Associated Press contributed to this report