Court records reveal details surrounding Yelm area homicide. Two remain in jail

Two Yelm residents accused of helping dispose of a body after a fatal shooting are being held in the Thurston County jail in lieu of bail.

Thurston County Sheriff’s Office detectives arrested Danny Lee Alford, 28, and Tessla Kerrsten Moore, 33, on Thursday, June 13, on suspicion of first-degree rendering criminal assistance, unlawful disposal of human remains and tampering with physical evidence.

Their arrests resulted from a homicide investigation that started on June 7, when a man’s body was found buried near the Nisqually River. Thurston County Coroner Gary Warnock identified the deceased as Robert Erwin, who had been reported missing in the Yelm area.

Court records in the cases against Alford and Moore have since revealed new details about the investigation.

Alford and Moore attended their preliminary hearings in Thurston County Superior Court on Friday, June 14. Judge Nathan Kortokrax found probable cause for the alleged crimes and set bail at $75,000 for Alford and $50,000 for Moore.

In doing so, Kortokrax determined Alford and Moore may seek to intimidate witnesses or interfere with the case. He also found the court could not reasonably be assured Alford would attend his next hearings without conditions.

Alford was previously convicted of third-degree theft twice, second-degree criminal trespass and knowingly possessing a controlled substance in Yelm, according to court records.

Moore also has two third-degree theft convictions on her record, one from a Thurston County District Court case and another from a Yelm Municipal Court case. She also has been convicted of second-degree criminal trespass in Yelm.

The Sheriff’s Office previously said its detectives are investigating numerous rumors surrounding Erwin’s death. Anyone with information is asked to contact detectives@co.thurston.wa.us.

The investigation

A probable cause statement submitted to Superior Court describes the investigation into Erwin’s death from the perspective of law enforcement.

Law enforcement officers first began investigating on May 26 after receiving a tip from a person who believed Erwin had been killed, according to the statement.

The person reportedly alleged a now-deceased individual had killed people, including Erwin, who were connected to a Yelm area encampment.

In the ensuing weeks, detectives followed up on more tips and rumors gathered from people in the Yelm area. On June 4, a person reportedly directed them to where he believed the burial site was near the Nisqually River, just outside Yelm.

Detectives searched the area and found a body in a shallow grave covered with branches and moss. The Coroner’s Office conducted an autopsy on the recovered body two days later and identified the deceased as Erwin.

The autopsy revealed Erwin had been shot twice, once in the left back and once in the mouth, according to court records Two bullets were reportedly lodged in his body.

During the investigation, detectives heard from some people that Alford and Moore may have been involved in Erwin’s death.

Detectives returned to the area encampment on June 10 to speak with more residents and find Alford and Moore. They eventually contacted the pair and interviewed them both.

Alford alleged another individual shot Erwin and then asked him for help disposing of the body early one morning, according to the statement. Alford reportedly said he saw Erwin’s body in the water of the riverbank and they fashioned a makeshift gurney to move his body to the burial site.

Alford alleged the individual was armed and made him dig and cover up the grave despite his insistence that he wanted no part in this, the statement said.

Moore reportedly told a detective she acted as a lookout as Alford and the other individual hid Erwin’s body, the statement says.

The individual allegedly instructed Alford and Erwin not to say anything or else “his people would take care of them accordingly,” the statement says.

Both Alford and Moore said they helped the individual burn some evidence, including his wallet and a blanket that was used to wrap Erwin’s body.

The statement indicates neither of them recalled what day this occurred but said it may have been in April.