A 47-year-old handyman, Jeffrey Zizz, has been charged with murder in connection with the death of 82-year-old Marcia Norman. Allegedly, Zizz tortured Norman with a nail gun before she died, having suffered penetrating injuries to her head.
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According to the
Thurston County Sheriff, Marica Norman was last seen on Tuesday, April 1. She had disappeared "under suspicious circumstances," after her family visited on April 4, having not heard from her for days.Upon arrival, as per KOMO News, her family found her wallet and vehicles at her home. Her pill organizer showed that she hadn't taken his pills since April 1, the last day she was seen. It was then that they managed to access Norman's phone and found messages between her and Zizz. In them, they discuss plans for having dinner on April 1.
According to Thurston County Lt. Mike Brooks, the two of them having dinner was not uncommon. He was a "good family friend," as reported by KIRO.
Zizz was questioned by investigators and initially told them that he had visited Norman on April 1. He claimed he only dined and had wine with her until 9 p.m., returning home afterward.
However, cameras recorded Zizz's truck in Olympia two separate times at 3:04 a.m. and 7 a.m. Court records show that Zizz admitted to the lie, saying that he returned to Norman's house to collect some tools for a job. Then, he went out again to retrieve his trailer for the job.
Investigations continued, and detectives secured a warrant to search Zizz's home. Inside, they found a letter that, as per court documents, described a planned "burglary/sexual assault of an adult woman."
Troubling Past
Jeffrey Zizz not only had a previous sex offense conviction, but also had a troubling encounter with Marcia Normal earlier this year. An arrest report reveals that Norman told her family that she found Zizz standing at the foot of her bed after she woke up in the middle of the night.
"(Norman) state that she told Zizz that it was inappropriate for him to be there and he needed to leave," the report reads, as per KOMO. "(Norman) told her son that she spoke with Zizz and made it clear to him that they were to keep a professional relationship and he was was not to cross those boundaries again."
Zizz would admit to this encounter to the investigators.
Days later, on April 7, Zizz's roommate reported his truck stolen. Allegedly, Zizz borrowed the truck and never returned home. Authorities found the truck between Idaho and Montana, which had been damaged due to a possible elk collision. As Zizz had violated his release terms in connection with his previous sex offense conviction, he was arrested in Montana.
It was during that time that detectives were able to track Zizz's movements after Norman's disappearance. Detectives claimed that he rented an excavator and a trailer for a job at a property, confirmed by its owner. The owner was acquainted with Norman since she was the one who recommended Zizz in the first place. She asked Zizz to build her a shed.
Remains Found
On April 9, detectives used dogs to help identify any scent of human decomposition at the property. The K9s detected an odor in the area around the shed. After it was removed and the area excavated, they found Norman's remains buried. They had been covered in cement.
Court documents revealed that her wrists and ankles had been wrapped. An autopsy determined that she had Marcia Norman had died of blunt force trauma, suffering penetrating injuries to her head.
Thurston County Coroner Gary Warnock revealed that a nail gun had inflicted the injuries in Norman's head. These occurred over several hours, with Warnock saying that Norman had been tortured before her death.
Jeffrey Zizz was charged with first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping, and unlawful disposal of human remains. As per NBC News, Zizz was extradited to Washington on April 13 following his April 7 arrest. A
news release issued by the Thurston County Sheriff adds that Zizz might face new charges as the investigation continues.The Norman family issued a statement, shared by the Thurston County Sheriff.
"Our family has experienced the loss of our center. Marcia was the one that brought us together," the statement reads. "We are thankful for the efforts of law enforcement, the Thurston County Sheriff's Office and the Missoula Police Department in their handling of this matter. We are cooperating fully with the investigation in an effort to come to a resolution regarding the manner of her death. Our family is grieving and looking for ways to honor her memory.
"Marcia was an engaged member of her community and family, full of life with plans for the future. She is loved by many."
