What began as a baffling discovery in a Washington State clearcut quickly turned into one of the most significant wildlife cases in the region – mainly because of the sentence that followed. Officers Lanny McOmber and Sergeant Brian Alexander walk us through a long, technical investigation involving multiple poached elk, complex necropsies, geofence warrants, cutting-edge tech and a suspect who just couldn’t stay away.
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Here’s what we discuss:
- Why officers called it the Ray Anderson case
- Four elk found dead in a clearcut
- “There was no question – this was a poaching incident.”
- Necropsies on multiple elk in field conditions
- No bullets or brass recovered
- A fifth elk tied to the incident
- Early frustration with limited evidence
- Asking the public for tips
- Turning to geofence warrants
- A complex, multi‑step warrant process
- Waiting months for data returns
- Separate trespassing issues on timber land
- Cut gates and trail cameras
- A familiar vehicle keeps reappearing
- The suspect returning near the scene
- Contact with a convicted felon
- Firearms located in the vehicle
- Quietly keeping cases separate
- Geofence data starts lining up
- An interview that slowly tightens
- Initial denials turn into admissions
- The claim of “guiding” elk by shooting at them
- Washington’s spree‑killing statute explained
- Elevating wildlife violations to felonies
- How prior case law came full circle
- The gut punch of sentencing day
- A delayed – but meaningful – outcome
- Mentorship and career‑defining cases
- “You create your own luck in this job.”
Credits
Hosts: Wayne Saunders and John Nores
Producer: Jay Ammann
Warden’s Watch logo & Design: Ashley Hannett
Research / Content Coordinator: Stacey DesRoches
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