Person of Interest in Renton Murder Arrested in Oklahoma

UPDATE, 9:20 a.m. May 29: KFOR-TV out of Oklahoma is reporting that 19-year-old Jarod Lane appeared before a judge this morning and decided to waive his extradition.

Lane's decision to waive extradition means that he has voluntarily chosen to return to Washington state, but does not indicated an admission of guilt. The Renton Police Department now has 10 days to collect him. If Lane had decided to go through extradition, the process could have taken at 30 days or more.

Lane is considered a "person of interest" in the murder of 17-year-old Jessica Scholl.

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UPDATE, 6 p.m. May 28: Here is a statement from Renton Police:

At about 1330 hours on 5/28/12, Renton Police were notified by Oklahoma City Okla. Police of the arrest of Jarod Lane; Lane is suspected in last Friday’s murder of 17-year-old Jessica Scholl.

A 2001 Mazda Protégé which Lane had been driving was found abandoned near Guthrie, Okla. earlier in the day, and a television news crew enroute to cover that story saw Lane walking along the side of a road in Oklahoma City a few hours later. They recognized Lane from photographs released to their Seattle area affiliate station, and called 911, resulting in Lane’s arrest. Lane will be held in Oklahoma City while extradition is arranged.

The victim’s family has asked us to forward the following statement to all of the media outlets who covered this story:

We, as Jessica Scholl's family, would like to thank the Renton Police Department and numerous other law enforcement agencies for their diligence in searching for the person of interest. Especially thank you to the Oklahoma City Police Department and News Channel 4's Adam Mertz and Mark Paris who helped to apprehend him."

We would like to take this opportunity to stress the importance of healthy relationships, and encourage everyone to report known or suspected teen or domestic violence.

Our family has appreciated the way the media has respected our wishes to grieve and remember Jessica in private. We have no further comment at this time.

Lane's extradition hearing likely will occur Tuesday or Wednesday. Renton Police travelled Oklahoma City on Monday to bring him back to King County.

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UPDATE, 12:30 p.m., May 25: The Renton Police Department has identified the person of interest as 19-year-old Jarod T. Lane. He's described as a caucasian with a "dark complection," with brown eyes and brown hair. He stands 5-feet-9-inches tall and weighs 152 pounds, according to his Washington state driver's license information.

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Original Post, 11 a.m., May 25: Investigators are searching for a person of interest following the discovery of the body of a 17-year-old Lindbergh High School student in her home Friday morning. Investigators said the person of interest, a young man, was driving a green Mazda Protege possibly with black wheels and Washington state license plate number of 077 YRD. He is believed to be headed to eastern Washington.

The young man's mother checked his online bank account this morning and it appeard the man purchased gas in North Bend shortly after the fire. Firefighters found the girl's body after receiving a 7:54 a.m. report of a fire at a home near the corner of S.E. 164th and 128th Ave. S.E. Renton Fire and Emergency Services arrived four minutes after the call and extinguished the fire within 10 minutes. It was when firefighters searched the home that they found the girl's body alone. Her parents have been notified but her identity had not been released.

The Renton School District notified parents at about 10:40 a.m. that a student had died before the start of school on Friday, said Lindbergh parent Kari Kopnick. The notice did not provide any further details. A girl who identified herself as an 11th-grade Lindbergh student spoke with Patch late Friday morning. She attempted to go to her friend's home near the homicide scene, but was turned away by police.

Students were told that the girl "died because of the fire," she said. "Everybody is crying. It's like silence." "I knew her as a person, but not personally," she said of the victim. Classes have remained on the normal schedule, according to the student.