U.S. Marshals Arrest Suspect in the Murder of Clark County Sheriff’s Office Deputy

Seattle, WA – Earlier today, the Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force (PNVOTF), led by the U.S. Marshals Service, arrested Guillermo Raya-Leon (age 26) for First Degree Murder in Salem, Oregon. Raya-Leon is alleged to have shot and killed a Clark County Sheriff's Office Deputy on Friday in Vancouver, Washington.

During the investigation, the Salem Police Department, along with members of the Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force (PNVOTF), obtained information that Raya-Leon was located at an apartment complex near the intersection of Sunnyview Road NE and Coral Avenue NE. Raya-Leon was observed entering a vehicle law enforcement believed he stole after the shooting. The Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force (PNVOTF) conducted a vehicle stop and ordered Raya-Leon and three other individuals out of the vehicle. All persons have been detained by the Salem Police Department for further investigation.

Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal Richard Craig stated, "The goal of the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force is to bring together resources from federal, state, and local law enforcement; utilize the specialized skills they bring to the table; and apprehend violent offenders. I applaud the Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force and its partners for their determination in apprehending Guillermo Raya-Leon so quickly. No matter how long it takes, or where they run to, the experienced investigators on this team will work tirelessly to find and bring fugitives to justice."

The arrest of Raya-Leon was successful due to efforts of the U.S. Marshals Service in Oregon and Washington, the Vancouver Police Department, the Salem Police Department and the FBI.

The Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force is composed of Deputy U.S. Marshals from the Western District of Washington along with Oregon, and other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Since its creation in 2010, the Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force (PNVOTF) has arrested almost 14,000 violent fugitives for various offenses including homicide, failure to register as a sex offender, sex crimes, firearms, and federal probation violations.