Slain Bellevue Woman Called Sweet But Tough

BELLEVUE - Carol Marie Beethe lived the same way as thousands of women. She was divorced and worked hard to support herself and her two daughters.

But Beethe died like only the unluckiest do.

Sometime early Thursday morning, she was murdered in the bedroom of her 1960s-era rambler as her daughters slept.

Beethe, 35, died of head injuries, according to the King County medical examiner's office.

Police arrived at the house in the 1600 block of 166th Avenue Northeast just before 10 a.m. Thursday, after Paul Beethe, the dead woman's ex-husband, crawled in through the bedroom's back window to find his ex-wife's unclothed body.

Police Detective Lt. Edward Mott said there was ``a good probability'' that Beethe's killer had used the same sliding window.

Paul Beethe, who lives elsewhere, was alerted by his 13-year-old daughter, who became alarmed when she found her mother's bedroom door locked and her shouts got no response. Another daughter, age 8, was also at home.

Like the two girls, neighbors told police they heard nothing, including any barks from Beethe's black Labrador.

``I didn't know anything until I saw those kids come out crying,'' said next-door-neighbor Arlie Gregorious. ``They sat on the curb. Then they walked up and down the street. They looked like zombies.''

Police say they have no suspects.

Mott would not comment on what evidence police might have obtained from the home. Police would say only that there were no signs of a struggle or forced entry.

Beethe and her ex-husband moved to the Bellevue house about 10 years ago from Montana. For a time they lived elsewhere and rented it out, but Beethe moved back after the divorce.

Until last December, Beethe tended bar during the day at Giuseppe's Lounge in downtown Bellevue. When the chance to work the day shift at the lively Cucina Cucina Italian Cafe at Bellevue Place arose, the vivacious Beethe took it.

``I referred to her as `Mom,''' said bartender Doug Parry. ``She was pretty selfless. Very sweet. She was tough, too. We get a lot of business people here at lunch. She never took a subservient role. She made people respect her.''

A week before she was killed, Beethe had received roses at Cucina Cucina three days in a row. No card was attached, and Beethe told friends she did not know who had sent them.

The evening before she died she had a cocktail with Dihanna Evanoff, restaurant assistant manager, before leaving at about 7 p.m.

Beethe's death was the third homicide in Bellevue this year.

Faye Chan Monwai, 71, was shot and strangled as she ate lunch in her Somerset home Feb. 15. The case is unsolved.

And police are investigating the death of Mary Ann Pohlreich, a 27-year-old Bellevue Community College student, whose body was discovered June 22 in a trash bin. Pohlreich also died of head injuries.