Peter Keller, Wash. man suspected of killing wife and daughter, found dead in bunker, police say
(CBS/AP) NORTH BEND, Wash. - Police in Washington say Peter Keller, a man suspected in the deaths of his wife and daughter, was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot Saturday in a Seattle-area bunker filled with weapons and ammo.
Keller, 41, has not been seen since his wife, Lynnettee, and 18-year-old daughter Kaylene were found shot dead in their home last weekend.
An arrest warrant issued Wednesday accuses Keller of two counts of first-degree murder and one count of first-degree arson; the home was set on fire after Lynnettee Keller, 41 and Kaylene were shot in the head.
Their bodies were found in their bedrooms April 23. The family cat and dog were also killed. Authorities said they found seven gasoline cans placed in different areas of the home.
The bunker, tucked into Rattlesnake Ridge, was "amazingly fortified" with at least 13 guns inside, propane tanks, a large gun scope, gas cans and binoculars, said sheriff's Sgt. Cindi West. Photos released by police showed stacks of ammunition in plastic bags on shelves.
Seattle-area tactical officers pumped in tear gas, called for him over bullhorns, and, after 22 hours, set off explosives along the top of the bunker Saturday.
A body believed to be that of Keller was inside, already dead of a self-inflicted gunshot. A handgun was next to his body.
Photographs found in Keller's home after they found his wife and daughter gave authorities an idea of where the bunker was located. In one picture that they enhanced, detectives could make out buildings in nearby North Bend. Combined with reports from alert hikers who remembered seeing his faded red pickup truck at the Rattlesnake Ridge trailhead, the sheriff's office sent experienced trackers to the area, where they found off-trail boot prints confirming their belief that he was somewhere on the ridge.
SWAT teams had spent a grueling seven hours in the Cascade Mountains foothills Friday morning before they found the bunker.
Court documents described Keller as a loner who had a survivalist mentality and was been stockpiling supplies in the woods.
Peter Keller withdrew $6,200 from a bank last week and told one of his co-workers at a computer refurbishing store in Preston that he might not return, according to court documents.