On Sat. Mar. 28 police in Taft, California received information from the King County Sheriff’s Office that SeaTac murder suspect Robert Studer may be at an address in their city. After a short bit of surveillance and a five hour stand-off Studer was caught and arrested by Taft Police.
The information from KCSO led Taft Police to a business on the 400 block of Center Street in Taft; where police spotted Studer’s white 2015 Chevy van with Arizona plates that read “NFLHAWK”. A surveillance team was posted and quickly made a positive I.D. of Studer entering a business on that block.
When officers moved in to arrest him Studer ignored them and quickly ran into the business, locking the doors and barricading himself inside. A SWAT team and negotiators were deployed to the business with Studer refusing to respond. The stand-off lasted five hours with a bomb squad robot being deployed at one point.
Officers finally breached the building and found Studer lying on a bed. He was taken into custody without incident.
Investigators are scheduled to arrive in Taft to assist in the investigation in the next day or two.
On Thurs. Mar. 26, around 5:15 p.m., SeaTac police responded to a business park on the 18900 block of 16 Ave. S. about reports of a disturbance. When officers arrived they found a 42-year-old man who had been shot multiple times in the head inside one of the businesses.
The man was declared dead upon arrival to Harbor View Medical Center.
Investigators immediately suspected 68-year-old Robert Leroy Studer, originally from Arizona, of the killing. The victim was Studer’s nephew.
K-9 units and the Guardian One helicopter were deployed to the business park and surrounding area but were unable to locate Studer. After only a few hours into the investigation a press release was issued by KCSO Media Officer B.J. Meyers asking for the public’s assistance in finding the killer uncle.
After the investigation into the stand-off is finished Studer will be brought back to King County to be charged in the murder of his nephew.
Though he was not injured in the arrest Studer apparently has been suffering from an unspecified illness and required immediate medical care after his arrest. Once he is finished with treatment he will be moved to the Kern County Sheriff’s Department for the time being.