This news story was updated at 1 p.m.
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – A man wanted for allegedly helping his father – a former Washington state trooper – carry out a suicide plan and make it look like homicide so the family could collect insurance money was found in Mexico and delivered yesterday to the Lewis County Jail.
James E. Varner
Authorities have sought 34-year-old Kenneth R. Varner, of Olympia, for the past year.
His father, James E. Varner, 49, of Olympia, was found dead with a gunshot wound five years ago inside his car on a forest road near Packwood.
Detectives investigated the February 2006 death as suspicious; they did not locate a gun with the body.
The firearm authorities believe was used was discovered later in Mayfield Lake by a fisherman, according to charging documents.
Lewis County Sheriff Steve Mansfield said this morning Kenneth Varner was living in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and was deported. He was taken into custody in Los Angeles on March 31 by the U.S. Marshal’s Service, according to Mansfield.
Lead detective Bruce Kimsey and another detective picked him up from the Los Angeles County Jail yesterday and flew him here last night, according to Mansfield.
The sheriff said there’s “a lot of fraud” involved.
“It’s been a very detailed, comprehensive investigation here,” Mansfield said. “It covers a lot of ground.”
James Varner worked for the state Department of Labor and Industries and before that, was a trooper, employed from 1979 until 1997 mostly in Western Washington.
Charges of promoting a suicide attempt and conspiracy to commit theft in the first degree were filed against Kenneth Varner last May. Mansfield said they believe the son retrieved the weapon from the scene and got rid of it.
Puerto Vallarta has been Kenneth Varner’s home for several years.
The bulk of the more than $2.3 million in life insurance on the senior Varner was acquired in the last 18 or so months of his life, according to charging documents.
Shortly after James Varner ‘s death, authorities revealed he, his son and a third man were being investigated in an insurance fraud scheme.
Kenneth Varner was also wanted for theft related to some $7,000 from a bid to replace a roof of a business partner’s building in Centralia in 2006.
He is scheduled to appear before a judge this afternoon.
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Read background on the case, here
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter