Whatcom woman allegedly aided murder suspect, and more arrests could be coming
The Bellingham woman who purchased a gun believed to be used in last month’s murder on Mosquito Lake Road reportedly attempted to help the man suspected of pulling the trigger avoid capture, and the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office says more arrests could be coming.
Sarah Beth Morris, 35, was booked into Whatcom County Jail Thursday, Oct. 29, on suspicion of first-degree rendering criminal assistance. Jail records show she was released later that day on personal recognizance.
“She turned herself in (Thursday) morning to the jail on our (probable cause),” Chief Deputy Kevin Hester told The Bellingham Herald in an email. “Of note on this case, we anticipate several more arrests in the near future for rendering criminal assistance from other associates of (Zachary Scott) Ranahan.”
Ranahan, 34, is accused of using a ruse with a woman to lure a Bellingham man to rural northern Whatcom County before allegedly shooting and killing him Oct. 11. Ranahan, 34, is facing a first-degree murder charge for the death of 41-year-old Clinton E. Gulick, according to charging papers filed in Whatcom County Superior Court.
Roseanne Louise Paden, 36, also was arrested Oct. 11 for her alleged role in Gulick’s death. She is being held in lieu of $1.5 million bail, while Ranahan’s bail was set at $3 million.
Morris was identified by deputies as Ranahan’s girlfriend, and the two were living together in a Barkley neighborhood apartment, according to court documents.
Deputies spoke to Morris on a number of occasions during the investigation and, according to court documents, found:
▪ Morris purchased a .45 caliber handgun Sept. 6 from Yeagers Sporting Goods. She told deputies it was Ranahan’s idea to purchase the gun and he went with her when she completed a firearm transfer/background check document for the gun.
▪ Morris picked up the gun from Yeagers on Sept. 21 and purchased a box of ammunition the same day.
▪ On Oct. 11, approximately three hours before the murder, Ranahan went to the apartment he shared with Morris and left. Morris told deputies she was not sure if Ranahan had taken the gun.
▪ At approximately 4 or 4:30 p.m. Oct. 11, Morris picked Ranahan up at her workplace and drove him to Skagit County, where she purchased him a “burner” phone and rented him a car. She told deputies that she got the phone so law enforcement couldn’t track Ranahan.
▪ At approximately 8:30 p.m. Oct. 11, Morris loaded a tote with Ranahan’s post office box key, wallet, a box of ammunition and a gun case and gave it to a friend to deliver to Ranahan.
▪ A day after the murder, Morris spoke to Ranahan at least twice and later picked him up in the Alderwood area at approximately 12:30 p.m. They reportedly drove around with Ranahan laying on the floor of the back seat, and Morris dropped him off down the road from her apartment
Whatcom County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Ranahan Oct. 12 after locating him earlier in the afternoon at an apartment complex in the 3100 block of West Maplewood Avenue in Bellingham. Ranahan allegedly fled from deputies, but they tracked him to nearby brush.
Deputies shot at Ranahan, but he was not hit by any bullets, according to a Tuesday news release from the Skagit Multiple Agency Response Team. SMART is the agency conducting an independent investigation into the incident.
Six deputies were placed on paid administrative leave during the investigation into the police-involved shooting — a standard practice that is not disciplinary in nature, Undersheriff Doug Chadwick told The Bellingham Herald Oct. 15.
A SMART release Friday, Oct. 30, said the investigation into the deputies’ shooting is continuing to move forward and detectives are conducting relevant interviews.
