Stabbing suspect needed a place to snooze. Kennewick’s Zintel Canyon was the wrong choice
A man wanted for a brutal attack on a driver in Western Washington was found sleeping in the brush in Zintel Canyon.
An anonymous call to Tri-Cities Crime Stoppers on Tuesday said Daniel Varela, 42, was in the popular recreation area. The tip led the U.S. Marshals Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force to the brushy area where he was sleeping.
The task force is made up of federal, state and local law enforcement who work to find fugitives.
The King County Sheriff’s Office has been hunting for Varela since he allegedly stabbed a 55-year-old man multiple times before cutting his throat on March 20.
The victim had picked up Varela and his girlfriend. Varela then ordered the 55-year-old man to drive down an alley before he attacked him, according to court records.
He was booked into the Benton County jail on his warrant.
This story was originally published April 2, 2019 at 6:49 PM.