Photo: Kiro 7 News
The Probable Cause Affidavit below provides a time line of events for the Arrest of Solomona Luteru, in the murder of Lisa Marie Eason, the mother of two and Mert’s Taxi driver that was killed in Mount Vernon.
Mount Vernon, WA: On Monday, March 30th, 2015 around 9:41 pm the Mount Vernon Police Department responded to a weapons offense in the 400 block of South 3rd street in Mount Vernon. This is between the Skagit River Brewing Company and the Pacific Pride Fuel Station.
Arriving Officers found a burgundy Toyota Sienna van with Mert’s Taxi on the side of it, that had rolled into some shrubs near Montgomery Street. The vehicle was still running and was occupied by a white female with an apparent gun shot wound to her head. The female was later identified as Lisa Marie Eason. She was dead at the scene.
Witnesses in the area reported hearing what they thought was gunfire or a vehicle backfire while the vehicle was in the area of 3rd street and Montgomery. Witness also say they saw a dark skinned male with long black hair and a beard, dressed in a black jacket and jeans with a backpack on, jump out of the vehicle and run west toward the Food Co Op on 1st street. Police were later able to view the subject running West in the area of the revetment on City Cameras.
A short time later, a suspect matching that description, stole a black 1996 Toyota Camry 4 door with white rims from a young girl at gunpoint while she was parked by the river in the revetment area of Mount Vernon. Mount Vernon Police sent out a Be on the Lookout (BOLO) for this vehicle after interviewing the girl that had her car taken at gunpoint.
When asked, Mert’s Taxi Dispatchers said that Eason’s last fare was picked up at the Swinomish Casino. A person dressed in clothing matching witness descriptions was seen on security video getting into the taxi at the casino. Further investigation by police revealed that Solomona Fatu Luteru is the subject in the video at the Casino. He could be heard on audio/video security footage giving his name to staff when his backpack was checked by Casino Security. The car theft victim also identified Luteru in a photo line up later in the evening.
When Luteru stole the vehicle from the victim, he also took several personal items, including her shoes, coat and two cell phones. Detectives requested “Exigent Circumstances” for both AT & T and Verizon. The carriers are the service providers for both phones. The carriers then were able to provide Latitude and Longitude of the cell phones which showed that both phones were traveling South on I-5. The last locations that were provided before the phones were turned off was in the area of Pacific Pride located in the 12000 block of Pacific Highway SW in Lakewood, WA.
The last ping around 2:30 am located the phone at the gas station, that is about 1500 feet form where the stolen Toyota Camry was located by Lakewood Police around 7:30 am on March 31st, 2015. Lakewood PD had been advised of the ping and was looking for the vehicle.
The vehicle was found in the driveway of a light brown two story townhouse with white trim and a dark door in a gated community in the 12500 block of Springbrook Lane in Lakewood.
Lakewood Officers set up a perimeter around the house and at approximately 8:15 am, Luteru came out of the residence and was taken into custody. He was wearing a white T-shirt with what appeared to be blood spatter on it. A .45 Caliber handgun was in his possession.
When attempt was made to interview Luteru he requested a Lawyer stating he is “going to need one, he’s in a lot of trouble”.
The stolen Toyota Camry was impounded as evidence and towed back to the Mount Vernon Police Department where it was locked in an evidence building to be searched. The vehicle was escorted back to Mount Vernon by a Mount Vernon Police Officer.
The suspects next hearing in court is April 9th, 2015. 
The family of Lisa Marie Eason has started a go Fund Me page to help her two kids, Jesse Singleton and Kira Eason with funeral and memorial expenses for their murdered mother. The Link can be found here: http://www.gofundme.com/qnne
Be the first to comment on "New Details in Murder of Taxi Driver in Mount Vernon"