Homicide investigation underway

Tragedy woke up members of local law enforcement early on March 1 after a report of a vehicle collision involving a pedestrian occurred on westbound I-90.

Upon arriving at the scene, Adams County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO) discovered a female subject deceased in the roadway with multiple punctures to her body near milepost 201, nearly 20 miles west of Ritzville.

The nature of the discovery led ACSO to begin a homicide investigation, and closed the two westbound lanes for nearly eight hours.

Adams County Sheriff Dale Wagner said the initial report came in around 2:45 a.m. and both ACSO and Washington State Patrol (WSP) responded to the scene. Ritzville EMTs and Lind Fire Department were also dispatched to assist.

Upon arrival, deputies and troopers were informed a male subject had left the scene on foot with a young child. The male subject, 33-year-old Manuel Argomaniz-Camargo, and the three-year-old child were located walking eastbound away from the vehicle.

Deputies and Troopers made contact with Argomaniz-Camargo, who immediately put down the child and raised his hands. The child ran into the Trooper’s arms, Wagner reported.

While ACSO remained on scene until 10:45 a.m., Argomaniz-Camargo was booked into Adams County Jail.

More information regarding the homicide investigation will be published in next week’s edition of The Journal.