Stevens County, Washington – The Stevens County Prosecuting Attorney, Erika George, and U.S. Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref, announced today charges against Charles Lloyd Tatom with first degree murder in the death of 29-year-old Marlene Emerson and her 12-year-old daughter, Cassie Emerson. The murders occurred in summer 1997 and involved a decades-long investigation by both state and federal law enforcement. Recent developments in the investigation include new DNA tests that were completed over the summer of 2024. Tatom, who is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law, is charged by way of information in Stevens County Superior Court. Stevens is scheduled to make his first appearance Friday at 11:00am.
According to court documents, early in the morning of June 27, 1997, firefighters responded to a mobile home fire in Colville, Washington. By the time crews arrived just after 4:00 am, the roof of the tailer had collapsed, and flames were shooting up to 15 feet above the roofline. After firefighters were able to extinguish the fire, firefighters found the remains of Marlene Emerson inside the home. The doctor that conducted an autopsy on Emerson’s remains concluded the manner of death was homicide. Later examination of Emerson’s remains revealed evidence of knife cuts on her neck. Fire investigators from Stevens County at the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) investigated the fire found evidence that gasoline had been poured on the floor before it was ignited.
Emerson’s daughter, Cassie, was missing and was presumed to have been abducted. A month later, twelve-year old Cassie’s body was recovered in a wooded area above Orin Rice Road. Forensic examination of Cassie’s remains found evidence of knife marks on her neck.
During the decades-long investigation, law enforcement interviewed numerous people who were living in the trailer park at the time of the murder or who were associated in some manner with Emerson. Residents of the trailer park reported hearing a boom just before 4:00 am, followed by the sound of a loud vehicle leaving the area. Shortly after the fire, investigators focused on a Chevy Blazer that allegedly was being driven by Charles Tatom at the time of the fire. The Blazer had a modified exhaust system that amplified the sound of its engine.
During a forensic examination of the Chevy Blazer, investigators found a red stain on the interior of the rear passenger window. The stain tested positive for the presence of blood. DNA was recovered from the sample that was consistent with originating from Cassie. Investigators recovered other DNA samples that pointed to both Cassie and Tatom being in the vehicle. A mixed sample of DNA was also recovered from a cigarette butt found in the Blazer that was consistent with both Tatom and Cassie.
People who were familiar with Marlene Emerson reported to investigators that Emmerson had been associating with people involved in the outlaw motorcycle club community in the Colville area. One witness reported that Tatom hid a blood-stained knife near the home of a former leader in the outlaw motorcycle club community. According to the witness, Tatom later recovered the knife and claimed that the blood was from gutting an animal. A witness also reported that on the evening before the fire Tatom took some cans of gasoline from a shop on the property where he was living. This same witness reported that when Tatom returned the next morning, his hair appeared singed, and he had a burn on his ankle. Another witness reported that he disposed of the seat covers from the Blazer the morning after the fire.
The First-Degree Aggravated murder charges against Tatom carry a maximum sentence of life in prison.
“I am grateful for the law enforcement agents and officers, who have dedicated more than two decades of their careers to identifying those responsible for Marlene and Cassie’s murders,” stated Stevens County Prosecuting Attorney, Erika George. “The Stevens County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office remains committed to holding violent offenders accountable and seeking justice on behalf of victims and their families.”
United States Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref stated, “One of my top priorities as U.S. Attorney has been to strengthen our relationship with state, local, and Tribal law enforcement. When we partner together, we are able to do so much more to keep Eastern Washington communities safe and strong.”
The decades-long investigation was conducted by the Stevens County Sheriff’s Office, Washington State Patrol, ATF, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Stevens County Prosecuting Attorney, Erika George. For many years, a parallel federal investigation was carried forward by Assistant United States Attorneys Earl Hicks and Timothy Ohms. In recent months, Timothy Ohms also assisted as a Special Stevens County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney.
An information is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.