Full Breakdown
Pierce County Woman Found Dead After Months-Long Search
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Discovery and Criminal Charges
A 36-year-old Pierce County woman who was reported missing in early April was located dead in a heavily wooded area of Frederickson several months later. The sheriff’s office confirmed that her former boyfriend, Kendrick Deshaun Bruce, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, unlawful disposal of remains, and two counts of identity theft.
Background & Context
Friends and family noted the woman’s sudden silence on social media before she vanished. Court documents reveal she had previously told loved ones she was abused and threatened by Bruce. The two had dated and worked together at a local gas station, according to statements from her father. During the investigation, cadaver dogs detected human remains on Bruce’s vehicle, and forensic teams found drops of blood in the victim’s apartment. A review of Bruce’s Google searches uncovered queries about methods to knock out and kill a person and what happens to a body after death.
Official Statements & Responses
The sheriff’s office said the discovery of the body provided “closure for the family” after a weeks-long search. Paul Pickett, the victim’s adoptive father, expressed that learning the location of his daughter’s remains eased his greatest fear of never having closure. The father of the victim’s ten-year-old son submitted a victim-impact statement, describing how the tragedy “permanently changed our lives” and urging the court to consider the lasting emotional toll on him and his grandson.
Data & Statistics
- Victim: 36 years old, missing in early April.
- Body found: several months later in Frederickson, an unincorporated Pierce County community.
- Charges against Bruce: first-degree murder, unlawful disposal of remains, two counts of identity theft.
- Investigative evidence: cadaver-dog alerts on Bruce’s car, blood drops in the victim’s apartment, and incriminating Google search history.
Verbatim Quotes
- “She was outgoing and had lots of friends, a lot of people that cared about her,” — Paul Pickett