Jeffrey Zizz pleads not guilty to kidnapping, murdering WA grandmother
Handyman pleads not guilty to murdering WA grandmother
The handyman accused of murdering a Thurston County grandmother pleaded not guilty during his court appearance today.
The handyman accused of murdering a Thurston County grandmother pleaded not guilty in court Tuesday.
Jeffrey Zizz, 47, who is also a convicted child molester, pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder, kidnapping and unlawful disposal of human remains. Zizz is suspected of murdering 82-year-old Marcia Norman.
Jeffrey Zizz appears in court
What we know:
Zizz did not appear in-person during his court hearing on Tuesday, but attended via Zoom.
Zizz worked as a handyman for Norman, whom he developed obsessive, romantic feelings for, according to an interview with detectives as reported in probable cause documents. He was the last person to see Norman before her disappearance, as the two had dinner the evening of April 1.
Their investigation led them to serving a search warrant at Zizz's home, where detectives say they uncovered a five-page letter detailing a "burglary/sexual assault" of an adult woman, identified as "customer." Zizz shortly after stole his roommate's car and fled the state, court docs say, and he was arrested in Montana for a community custody violation from a previous child molestation conviction.
Prosecutors believe Zizz took Norman's remains to a job site in Olympia where he was contracted to build a shed. Zizz is accused of burying Norman's remains in a shallow grave and then building a shed on top of them.
An autopsy conducted by the Thurston County coroner determined that Norman was bound at the wrists and ankles, assaulted, and ultimately executed with a nail gun.
What's next:
Zizz is scheduled for another hearing at the end of May, and his trial is expected to begin June 30.
The Source: Information in this story comes from original reporting by the FOX 13 Seattle team, as well as our previous coverage.
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