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Torture reports spark search for remains
RAYMOND, Washington (AP) -- Behind the white picket fence and pink swing set, workers sifted buckets of dirt through giant screens while others pulled up floorboards from the deck of the little red house, searching for human remains or other evidence of homicide. They were investigating the disappearance of three people over the past 10 years amid reports of torture and death. Remains from one person have already been found and authorities believe two others died at the rural home of David and Michelle Knotek near the small town of Raymond in southwest Washington. "This is something every sheriff hopes they never see," Pacific County Sheriff John Didion said. Remains recovered Saturday are likely those of Ronald Woodworth, 57, who was staying at the couple's home before he vanished in July, according to documents filed by prosecutor David Burke in Superior Court. Authorities also believe Michelle Knotek's nephew, Shane Watson, 19, and hairdresser Kathy Loreno, 36, died at the house. Both had been staying there when they disappeared in 1994, Burke wrote. Didion said tips have been pouring into his office since the first news reports of the findings, but neither he nor Burke would say whether they expect to find additional remains. "We're looking for trace evidence," Didion said. "It's a very time-consuming, tedious process, but a very necessary process." David Knotek, 51, and Michelle Knotek, 49, were jailed on $2 million bail each for investigation of first-degree murder. The couple's 14-year-old daughter was removed from the home last week before a search warrant was served. Two other daughters are adults. Burke has until 5 p.m. Wednesday to file charges against the Knoteks. David Knotek, a worker with Island Construction, said he fatally shot Watson as they struggled over a .22-caliber rifle, buried Woodworth, burned the bodies of Watson and Loreno and dumped their ashes at the beach, according to the court papers. David Knotek said Loreno died from choking on her own vomit and that his wife told him Woodworth had killed himself. Watson was killed because he had documented the abuse of Loreno with photographs, investigators wrote. Witnesses who contacted deputies in the past two weeks said Michelle Knotek abused Loreno with "torturous acts" until she died. A witness said Michelle Knotek physically abused Woodworth, according to a probable cause affidavit filed by Burke. Woodworth was hit in the mouth and his feet were plunged into boiling water until the skin came off, investigators wrote. The initial search warrant cited the disappearance of Loreno, whose mother had placed a newspaper item seeking help figuring out what happened to her daughter. The case is overwhelming for the sparsely populated county's law enforcement officials. Raymond has about 2,900 residents. South Bend, where the couple are jailed, has about 1,700. The sheriff's office has fewer than 15 deputies and Burke doubles as the county coroner. He was trying to arrange an autopsy for the first set of remains by the King County medical examiner in Seattle. The investigation is being pursued by a task force with representatives from four county sheriffs' offices, South Bend and Raymond police. Also on the team is the King County medical examiner's office, which has expertise in the examination of long-buried or decomposed remains because of its long-running Green River serial killer case. The closest neighbors on the two-lane country road said they saw nothing strange behind the tall pines that shield the Knoteks' home. They said the front gate, marked with a patriotic yellow ribbon, was always closed. Carl Carlzen, who's lived there for 24 years, said Michelle Knotek may have been "a little restless and high-strung," but the family seemed friendly and normal. "Something as weird as this, you never expect to happen," Carlzen said. Copyright 2003 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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