A 16-year-old suspect was arrested Wednesday for the murder of Puyallup store owner Soon Ja Nam. Another 16-year-old male linked to the deadly armed robbery was found dead on the shoreline of north Tacoma, according to the Pierce County Sheriff's Office.
Nam owned the Handy Corner Store in Puyallup. On Saturday evening, two suspects entered the store with a gun and demanded money. She gave money to the suspects and was then fatally shot in the back.
"It was a senseless act of violence," said Pierce County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Ed Troyer. "They sure didn't need to do it when they did the robbery. They were away from the store with the money."
On Wednesday, the Pierce County Sheriff's Office announced the arrest of a 16-year-old male suspect in a parking lot in northeast Tacoma. He was booked for the murder of Nam.
That suspect appeared in court for the first time Thursday. He is expected to make his second appearance in front of a judge Friday.
Investigators also recovered the victim's stolen car near the Chinook Landing Marina in Tacoma. A body found washed ashore Monday has been identified as a suspect in the deadly armed robbery. The medical examiner ruled the death a homicide.
According to the Pierce County Sheriff's Office, "Puyallup Tribal Police and the Pierce County Medical’s Examiner’s Office handled the recovery of the body. Their investigators observed that the body appeared to be a young black male that had suffered a fatal gunshot wound and had been in the water for several hours."
The sheriff's office is still conducting search warrants and interviews in connection to the murder of Nam.
The community shared memories and condolences for the beloved Puyallup store owner.
Handy Corner Store customer KC Lott said, "She was the sweetest woman; always was so sweet with the kids."
The 16-year-old suspect is being held without bail at Remann Hall Juvenile Detention Center in Tacoma on suspicion of first-degree murder and first-degree robbery.
