A Spanaway woman found dead in a Tacoma motel Thursday after her estranged husband allegedly confessed to killing her died of asphyxiation, the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office reported Friday.
Her husband, Tony Barrett, 42, remained in the hospital Friday for a medical condition unrelated to dog bites he received when struggling with law enforcement officers Thursday, sheriff’s spokesman Ed Troyer said.
He declined to say what the condition is, citing federal privacy laws.
Prosecutors said Barrett likely will be charged in his wife’s death Monday.
Detectives said he called KOMO News on Wednesday night to say he had killed his wife. After figuring out who he was, detectives released Tony Barrett’s description and license plate to area law enforcement agencies.
A University of Washington Tacoma security officer spotted his truck in downtown Tacoma about 3 a.m. Thursday and followed him until police arrived and began pursuing him. The chase ended 14 minutes later after police popped Barrett’s tires with spike strips and arrested him after a struggle in Gig Harbor.
Sara Barrett’s body was found in a motel in the 1800 block of South 76th Street. Investigators believe she was killed in the motel room after being abducted from outside her work in DuPont, Troyer said.
Stacia Glenn: 253-597-8653 stacia.glenn@thenewstribune.com blog.thenewstribune.com/crime
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