Ex-Tenant Charged In Lakewood Slaying

TACOMA - A 47-year-old former tenant, Rex Marlin Staab, has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with Monday's shooting death of Katherine Ann Lavadour, a 28-year-old Lakewood apartment manager.

In charges filed in Pierce County Superior Court yesterday, Staab is accused of shooting Lavadour execution-style in the back of the head and spine in retaliation for being evicted from the Hawaiian Village Apartments several years earlier.

At that time, Staab had been reported to the county sheriff for allegedly molesting several children in the apartment complex, court documents indicate.

He was arrested at the time, but no charges were filed. He was evicted anyway.

According to charges, shortly before 11 a.m. Monday Staab went to the office of the apartment complex, where Lavadour was working alone. Lavadour recognized him and told him to leave. Staab allegedly pulled out a .22-caliber handgun and shot her. Court documents say he left a note indicating he had been evicted twice from apartment complexes for possible child molestation.

The note said: "For this & allowing children to be hurt."

The charges indicate Staab called 911 and left the office with his hands raised when police arrived.

Lavadour was the mother of three children. A neighbor, Pat Skapik, called her "a marvelous person who didn't deserve to die like this."