Crime & Safety

Family Of Slain Worker Seeks Donations For Funeral, Future Baby

A reader tells University Place Patch that the family of Christian Rangel, who disappeared in December and whose body was found three months later, is seeking help for funeral arrangements and Rangel's future baby.

The family of a University Place man who disappeared and later dead is seeking donations for his funeral.

Patch user Amy Gutierrez that the family of Christian Rangel - one of three Pierce County men who disappeared in December - has established an account at Wells Fargo Bank for donations to help cover expenses.

"The family is asking for donations at Wells Fargo Bank, deposited 'In memory of Christian Rangel,' she wrote Patch. "The family need(s) help with funeral expenses. Christian was a hard legal worker who never was in any trouble. He found out days before is disappearance that his girlfriend of five years was pregnant. I ask please help this family."

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Rangel, 19 of University Place; Jesus Avila-Bejar, 25, of Lakewood; and Yazmani Quezada-Ortiz, 26, of Tacoma, .

All three left their homes Dec. 12 to go to work in Seattle, according to the King County Sheriff. They rode in Quezada-Ortiz’ truck and left sometime after 3 p.m. They never returned home. The next day their families reported them missing to Lakewood Police.

Find out what's happening in University Placewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

On Dec. 14, the truck was found abandoned in the Kent area.

, authorities couldn’t locate them until last month.

An employee of Rainier Nursery, in unincorporated King County near Kent, discovered two of the bodies March 10. Investigators discovered the third body later at the scene.  It appeared the three had been dead for quite some time from gunshot wounds.

No one has been arrested for this triple homicide.  Detectives from the King County Sheriff's Office and Lakewood Police are investigating.

If someone has information they are asked to call the King County Sheriff's Office at 206-296-3311, which is open 24 hoursa day, or e-mail a tip to MCUTips.KCSO@kingcounty.gov.


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