Suspects in presumed murder of Arlington couple may be heading to Mexico in gold Acura, deputies say

ARLINGTON, Wash. -- Detectives say a car driven by two men suspected of murdering an Arlington couple has been recovered in Arizona. They believe brothers John Blaine Reed and his brother Tony Clyde Reed are now driving a 2002 Gold Acura 32T with Arizona plate BNN-9968, and may be fleeing to Mexico.

According to the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office, a plate reader hit this license plate in Calexico, California on Tuesday. The Reeds' exact location is unknown, but authorities said they may be heading to the border.

Detectives are working with the Phoenix Police Department homicide unit and US Marshals Office.

Investigators are reminding the public that both men are convicted felons and are believed to be armed and dangerous.

Meanwhile, search-and-rescue teams are canvassing a 23+ square mile area around the victims' residence for the bodies of 45-year-old Patrick Shunn and his wife, 46-year-old Monique Patenaude. They were first reported missing on April 11.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office anonymous tipline at 425-388-3845.

New details revealed

As search warrants reveal new information about the presumed death of Shunn and Patenaude, those familiar with the area are in disbelief.

Snohomish County Sheriff Ty Trenary said brothers John and Tony Reed are wanted for murder in the case, although the bodies of Shunn and Patenaude have yet to be found.

The search warrant requesting access to several properties in the search for the missing Arlington couple said Shunn and Patenaude were afraid of John Reed, their former neighbor.

The search warrants state the couple told friends John Reed made threats to “shoot” them and acted “crazy” toward them over a long-standing property dispute.

John Reed used to own the property next to the couple but after the Oso landslide in 2014, Snohomish County bought Reed’s property. Neighbors say he was angry over the damage and loss of his land.

Several weeks ago Monique complained to the county that Reed was squatting on his former property. Then just about a week ago the couple went missing.

The search warrants in the case reveal the brothers may have bought tools used in the crime at the Arlington hardware and lumber store, like wire, rope, clips, rubber gloves and towels found near the couple’s cars.

A search of Reed’s former property turned up potential evidence, including a number of guns. Detectives also found dried blood in the bathtub and on several pieces of clothing inside Reed’s former home.

“Their (the couple's) entire lives focus around their farm and their animals so it’s pretty hard to imagine that they would leave any of them without someone knowing,” friend Cameron Wallace said.

Crews are continuing to search for the missing couple. Their focus right now is in a remote area of Oso just north of the couple’s Arlington farm. Detectives found the victims’ Jeep and Land Rover down an embankment. Police say it’s evident that someone either drove or pushed the vehicles off the edge and down the embankment to try to hide the vehicles from view.

They also found blood inside a vehicle, along with a number of items including a bag, rubber gloves, tarp and towels. Detectives say the brothers purchased many of the items at an Arlington hardware store on April 13, two days after the couple went missing.

Detectives also have surveillance video connecting John and Tony Reed to the victims’ cars.

Detectives say they believe the brothers kidnapped and murdered the couple before coming back to their former property shortly after the crime. A neighbor told detectives she saw the brothers last Tuesday. The brothers told her they were retrieving some personal items from the home.

That’s the last trace of the brothers in Western Washington until they were spotted again in Ellensburg, where their parents live. The brothers were reportedly driving a 2007 Volkswagen Eos coupe with Washington license plate AXH5106.

The sheriff said they are believed to be armed and dangerous.