A positive DNA match from the victim’s body helped identify the suspect, police said.
LAKE STEVENS, Wash. — The man charged with killing a California woman in Lake Stevens in 2024 was sentenced Thursday.
Mark Christopher Downey was sentenced to 26.5 years in prison after previously being found guilty of second-degree murder by a Snohomish County jury.
On August 20, 2024, deputies found Katie A. McQueen, 37, of Mariposa, Calif., dead on 84th Street Northeast in Lake Stevens. Police found McQueen’s death suspicious and asked detectives to investigate.
Detectives worked with the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab, which obtained a positive DNA match from evidence recovered at the scene, linking Downy to McQueen’s death.
During their investigation, detectives learned there was an altercation between Downey and McQueen, which resulted in Downey stabbing her.
Court documents show police went to Downey’s home and learned he had fled the area to go to Mexico.
Downey was interviewed by police and subsequently arrested on suspicion of murder. Downey initially denied ever meeting the victim but eventually revealed that he had met her and killed her before leaving her body where it was later found.
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