Arkansas woman named a suspect in Washington carver's death

PORT ANGELES, Wash. (AP) — Police in Port Angeles say a 45-year-old woman is a suspect in the March beating death of a Native American master carver.

Interim Police Chief Brian Smith says Tina Alcorn is being held without bail in the Clallam County jail on an arrest warrant out of Arkansas. She allegedly violated parole conditions in that state and will remain in jail pending extradition to Arkansas.

The Peninsula Daily News reports that 65-year-old artist George David of Neah Bay was found dead in a Port Angeles apartment March 28. An autopsy shows he died of head injuries.

David was member of the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations in British Columbia. He created carvings and totem poles that can be seen around Puget Sound, including two canoes that mark Chief Seattle's gravesite on the Kitsap Peninsula.

Sgt. Jason Viada said Monday that police released Alcorn's name as a suspect in David's homicide in part to seek the public's help.