Man arrested in connection with death of woman found in 2023 bushfire

TACOMA, Washington. – Tacoma police have made an arrest in connection with the 2023 death of a woman whose charred body was found in a brush fire near McKinley Park.

On September 3, 2023, firefighters responded to an overnight brush fire on the side of I-5. There, crews found the remains of 18-year-old Chloee Moore of the Hilltop neighborhood.

Moore's close friends described her as a wonderful person and said she planned to become a dentist.

Initially, investigators said it appeared Moore had been “doused with a flammable liquid and intentionally set on fire.”

During the investigation, Tacoma Police were able to identify a suspect. On Tuesday, a man in his 40s was arrested and booked into the Pierce County Jail on a charge of drug-related manslaughter.

A controlled substance manslaughter charge is rare but is becoming increasingly common. The charge typically states that the victim died of an overdose and the suspect “unlawfully” supplied the controlled substance that caused the overdose.

The suspect has not yet been formally charged or is pending trial, but he could appear in court for the first time this week.

This case remains under investigation by the Tacoma Police Department.

This is a developing story. Check back later for updates.

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