2 New Suspects Arrested In 2018 Rape, Murder Of Teen

CHEHALIS, Wash. (AP) – Two additional people have been arrested in connection with the murder of a 16-year-old boy last year.

KOMO-TV reports a 17-year-old boy was arrested Friday and has been charged with murder, tampering with evidence and rendering criminal assistance. Court documents say he knew about the plan to assault Ben Eastman of Randle but did nothing and physically prevented his ex-girlfriend from alerting someone.

A female was also arrested on suspicion of helping to conceal Eastman’s murder. She hasn’t been charged.

Eastman was reported missing June 27, 2018 and his body was found the next day in a shallow grave in a rural area.

Court documents say brothers Jonathan Adamson and Benito Marquez invited Eastman to go camping and then beat, kicked, raped and murdered him. Both pleaded guilty to murder and rape.

Their mother and a girlfriend of one of the brothers pleaded guilty to rendering criminal assistance.