Man accused of murdering Everett woman then hiding body claims he has an alibi

EVERETT, Wash. — The man accused of stabbing an Everett woman to death, then, with the help of another woman, cleaning the scene and hiding the victim’s body under her own mattress—says he has an alibi.

Wednesday in Snohomish County Court attorneys argued over Carl Bustard’s guilt for nearly a half hour.

“I have several arguments in regards to probable cause—I don’t believe there is probable cause,” Bustard’s defense attorney explained.

It’s unusual for a first court appearance but Bustard’s attorney says her client was never at the crime scene and has an alibi to prove it.

“My client was not anywhere near the scene where the homicide allegedly took place,” she told the court.

Bustard is accused by his co-defendant Tammie Lewis of attacking 50-year-old Deborah Jeanneret inside her home with a knife, from behind, last week.

Jeanneret and her roommate were allowing Lewis to stay with them; Bustard, according to court documents, is a friend of Lewis’ who was unwanted and unwelcome inside the house.

Lewis told police Jeanneret struck Bustard on the top of his head when he refused to leave and the stabbing was retaliation.

Then Lewis claims Bustard forced her to help him hide the body under the victim’s own mattress.

She wasn’t discovered by her roommate until nearly a week later.

When police stopped Bustard in Marysville Tuesday they found nitrile gloves and bleach and learned Bustard had purchased an enhanced driver’s license just hours before his arrest.

Bustard’s attorney was adamant: Bustard had just returned from a road trip with family who could support his claim he hadn’t been in Everett the day of the murder; the gloves and bleach were for cleaning a boat; and the enhanced driver’s license was for the road trip. The family’s next stop was allegedly Canada.

Ultimately the judge found probable cause to hold Bustard on $5 million bond; Lewis is being held on $250,000.

We pulled records from court; Lewis and Bustard have had what appears to be a tumultuous relationship.

In the past they both filed protection orders against each other—both were denied.

Cox Media Group