A Tacoma man is accused of killing his girlfriend, disposing of her body, and continuing to use her financial accounts after she vanished earlier this spring.
Pierce County prosecutors charged 30-year-old Kendrick Deshaun Bruce with first-degree murder, unlawful disposal of human remains, and two counts of second-degree identity theft in connection with the disappearance of 37-year-old Dawn Dill-Pickett of Lakewood.
Authorities allege Bruce killed Dill-Pickett sometime between March 1 and March 28 in what prosecutors described as an intimate partner violence case.
Friends Grew Suspicious After Silence
Dill-Pickett was reported missing April 1 after a friend in Idaho requested a welfare check, telling police it was unusual not to hear from her for that long, according to a probable cause declaration filed by Tacoma detectives.
Officers initially found nothing suspicious at her apartment, though one neighbor reportedly told police she had not seen Dill-Pickett in about a month.
Investigators said concern deepened after friends began receiving messages from Dill-Pickett’s phone that they believed sounded unlike her.
Court records state friends described her relationship with Bruce as “chaotic/dysfunctional.” Detectives also learned Bruce managed the business where Dill-Pickett worked and had recently been fired for theft, according to the declaration.
The woman’s child’s father later told police Dill-Pickett had previously appeared with visible injuries she attributed to Bruce.
According to court documents, he also told detectives she once warned: “If anything happens to me, Kendrick did it.”
The declaration further alleges Bruce previously threatened that “Nobody would find your body.”
Financial Activity, Search History Detailed In Court Records
Investigators alleged Bruce continued accessing Dill-Pickett’s financial accounts after her disappearance.
According to prosecutors, surveillance footage and financial records linked Bruce to transactions involving her Chime and Cash App accounts, including a March 28 purchase at a Puyallup 7-Eleven and a $150 transfer sent to himself.
Detectives also interviewed Bruce’s former partner, who reportedly told police she feared retaliation because Bruce had physically abused her in the past.
She allegedly told investigators Bruce returned from a trip to Ocean Shores in early March behaving strangely while keeping his Jeep unusually clean and stored inside a garage.
Cell phone and GPS data later placed Bruce, his Jeep Grand Cherokee, and Dill-Pickett’s phone together in multiple locations after she was last seen, according to investigators.
During a search of Bruce’s vehicle, cadaver dogs alerted to several areas inside the Jeep, including the cargo area and rear seating area, investigators said.
Detectives also recovered Google search history allegedly linked to Bruce that included phrases such as:
- “how to knock someone out”
- “how long does it take a body to start stinking after death”
- “how to clean up blood from carpet”
- “how long does rigor mortis last”
Blood Evidence Allegedly Found In Apartment
On May 20, detectives executed a search warrant at Dill-Pickett’s apartment and reported finding suspected blood evidence in several areas of the home, including the living room, hallway, bathroom, and entryway. Dill-Pickett’s body has not been recovered.
During Thursday’s hearing, prosecutors argued Bruce should remain jailed, calling him an “extreme flight risk” with no stable employment or residence. A judge set Bruce’s bail at $2 million.
Remembered By Loved Ones
As news of the charges spread, loved ones shared tributes online remembering Dill-Pickett’s impact on their lives.
“I dont have the words to put this all together but I’ll never stop missing you,” Darren Hill wrote in a Facebook tribute. “You were one of the only two people I ever considered my sister and the world is a bit more dull now that your gone.”
Hill said the pair earned their GEDs together and that he recently returned to school to pursue a college degree.
“No matter how hard it gets or long it takes I wont give up because I know you’ll be helping me along the way.”
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