21-Year-old WA Murder Suspect Can’t Be Brought to Trial

There is no statute of limitations for murder, and even if a suspect is in prison for another capital crime, they can still be put on trial. But in this WA murder case, the suspect can't. (image is of the murder victim)

   Island County murder suspect can't be brought to WA from Arizona

Island County Sheriff's Deputies have reported this week a man doing time in Arizona has been positively identified as the suspect in a 21-year-old murder.

Island County, which includes Oak Harbor, as well as Camano and Whidbey Island, is where the remains of then 39-year-old Tamara Matson (pictured) were found in Camano Island State Park.

The mother of 7 was dumped there December 9th of 2023. For six years, investigators combed the area looking for leads but were not able to conclusively find a suspect. At that time DNA testing was not nearly as advanced, and evidence found on cigarette butt not far from where her body was found could not necessarily be introduced in court.

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However, as DNA became more precise, investigators were able to determine the ID of the man who killed Mattson, (now) 69-year-old Carl D. Schlobom, who is serving a life sentence in Arizona for another murder. However, in June of 2021, Schloborn told officials he had information about the Mattson murder case, and he was interviewed.

Apparently the suspect had made a list of demands in exchange for his information, but before he could be extradited to WA, it was learned he recently underwent a series of severe strokes in prison in Arizona since the fall of 2024, and he is now in a state of dementia and he would not be able to understand the new proceedings.

Prior to his suffering the strokes, the suspect had apparently 'changed' his mind and become more difficult to deal with in terms of providing more information about the case. But, officials did get enough, plus the DNA, to say he was Mattson's murderer.

Because of this and the extenuating factors, the Island County Prosecutor has chosen to close the case, having exhausted all possible methods of having him answer to the Island County charges.