The Murder That Changed a Kid’s Life: How One Detective Solved a 32-Year-Old Mystery
On a warm August afternoon in 1986, 13-year-old Jennifer Bastian set out on a bike ride through Tacoma’s Point Defiance Park and never returned. Her disappearance sent shockwaves through the community, igniting a desperate search. But weeks passed with no sign of her—until a jogger, following the stench of decay deep into the woods, stumbled upon a horrifying discovery. Jennifer had been sexually assaulted and strangled, her promising young life brutally stolen.
At first, investigators believed her killer was the same predator who had taken another young girl just months earlier. Michella Welch, only 12 years old, had vanished in nearby Puget Park that March. Her body was later found, showing signs of a vicious assault and a fatal cut to her throat. Two young girls, murdered just miles apart within months of each other—surely, the work of a single monster. Or so police thought.
But the case went cold. For years, the city of Tacoma lived with the chilling uncertainty of a child killer in their midst. And for one young boy, the horror of Jennifer’s case struck so deeply that it would shape the course of his entire life. That boy was Lindsey Wade, who would grow up to become the detective determined to find Jennifer’s killer—even if it took three decades.
The Case That Haunted a Future Detective
As a child, Lindsey Wade was just a few years younger than Jennifer. When she vanished, it shattered his innocence. “For me and a lot of my friends, it was the first time we realized there were really bad people in the world,” Wade recalls. The fear followed him everywhere, even altering the way he walked to school—avoiding wooded areas, always looking over his shoulder.
The case burned in his mind long after childhood, and when he became a detective, Jennifer’s unsolved murder became his mission. But he wasn’t alone in his obsession—Tacoma police had never stopped looking for answers. By 2009, the department finally had a dedicated cold case unit, and Jennifer’s file was pulled from the shadows once more.
The DNA Breakthrough That Changed Everything
For years, the case was a tangle of dead ends. There were hundreds of tips, dozens of suspects, and no clear answers. But in 2012, a breakthrough: forensic testing on Jennifer’s swimsuit revealed male DNA. The discovery was monumental—but it didn’t match any profiles in the national database. A cruel twist of fate left investigators with the truth just out of reach.
Then came a game-changer. Wade connected with forensic genealogist Dr. Colleen Fitzpatrick, who could use DNA to trace family lines. The name ‘Washburn’ surfaced as a possible link, sending Wade combing through old case files. She found one Robert Washburn—a man who had suspiciously called in a tip about Michella Welch’s case just months before Jennifer was even killed. He had no criminal record, no obvious red flags. But Wade had a gut feeling. She put him on the list of people to test.
The Shocking Arrest—One Month Too Late
In 2018, Wade retired from the Tacoma Police Department, leaving behind one final batch of DNA samples awaiting testing. She thought she would never see closure. Then, a month after she left, she got the call that changed everything.
The DNA from Jennifer’s swimsuit was a match. It was Washburn.
Sitting at her kitchen table, Wade’s hands trembled as she choked out the words, “Who is it? What’s the name?” When she heard ‘Washburn,’ she was stunned. She had nearly missed him. He had been on her list, but barely.
Washburn, now living in Eureka, Illinois, had unsuspectingly given his DNA to the FBI when asked. That simple swab sealed his fate. In 2019, he pleaded guilty to Jennifer’s murder and was sentenced to 27 years in prison.
Two Killers, One City, and a Long-Overdue Justice
In a stunning twist, DNA also solved the mystery of Michella Welch’s murder. A separate man, Gary Hartman, was identified as her killer. The community’s long-held belief that one monster had stolen both girls was wrong—two predators had prowled Tacoma’s streets that year.
For Wade, finally telling Jennifer’s family they had caught her killer was the greatest moment of her career. “It was the best day of my life,” she says. “Jennifer’s mom knew before I even said a word.”
With Washburn and Hartman behind bars, the dark cloud that had hung over Tacoma for over three decades finally lifted. The legend of the ‘Tacoma child killer’ had haunted the city long enough. Thanks to forensic science, relentless detectives, and one little boy who refused to forget, Jennifer Bastian and Michella Welch finally got the justice they deserved.
