News Flash

MONROE POLICE DEPARTMENT NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sat., March 21, 2026CONTACT: Deputy Chief Irving, Monroe Police Department, 425-346-0224CASE NO.:    2026-5225

Monroe Police arrest local man on suspicion of murder

MONROE, Wash. – Following a quick response to interview a victim who had been threatened by an ex-boyfriend, officers responded to a second location in Monroe where a shooting occurred.  After collecting numerous witness statements and coordinating a multi-agency man hunt, the Monroe Police Department has arrested a 33-year-old local resident on suspicion of murder.  

In the late afternoon of Fri., March 20, 2026, Monroe Police Officers responded to a 9-1-1 call from a Monroe resident stating her ex-boyfriend, an Oregon resident, was posting explicit photographs and threats to her on his social media account. The officers spoke to the caller at a Monroe business where the female had just encountered the ex-boyfriend, but who had left after a confrontation. During the onsite interview with police, the caller shared that she asked another ex-boyfriend to check on her Monroe residence to see if the Oregon ex-boyfriend was there. The caller shared information with the police provided by the second ex-boyfriend that the Oregon ex-boyfriend may have been injured. Monroe Police responded to the female’s home address in the 17400 block of West Main Street and found the 25-year-old Oregon male in his vehicle. The vehicle and clothing description matched information provided by the ex-girlfriend. The male victim was confirmed by the Snohomish Regional Fire & Rescue to be deceased. 

Through GPS tracking on the suspect’s phone, automatic license plate reader (Flock) cameras within Monroe, the suspect was found by Deputies from the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from Monroe Police, and Monroe Police K9 Thor, on the Centennial Trail near the Machias area of Snohomish County. The suspect was taken into custody and booked early this morning into Snohomish County Jail on charges of First-Degree Manslaughter, Second Degree Murder and Aggravated Murder.  

This fast-evolving investigation involved several agencies assisting the Monroe Police Department. We are grateful for the support from the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Division, and the collaboration provided during this incident. 

Monroe Police Department Detectives are continuing their search for witnesses to the events, and the investigation is ongoing.

Friday, March 20, 20261:30 p.m.

The City continues to monitor weather conditions and flood-prone areas within Monroe. Sky River Park and Al Borlin Park are closed through Sunday, March 22, 2026. City staff will monitor water levels and open the parks as soon as it is safe to do so.

The National Weather Service Food Watch for Monroe and other areas is in effect until 5 p.m., Friday, March 20, 2026. The Flood Warning for Snohomish River near Monroe remains in effect until 3:45 a.m. on Sunday, March 22, 2026.

To report flooding or road hazards within city limits after hours, please call 425-239-0189.

Have a safe weekend.

U.S. Small Business Association Opens Business Recovery Center in Sultan through April 3, 2026

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the opening of a Business Recovery Center (BRC) in Sultan to assist businesses, private nonprofit (PNP) organizations and residents affected by the 2025 Severe Winter Storms occurring Dec. 5 – 22, 2025.

Beginning Monday, March 16, 2026, SBA customer service representatives will be on hand at the Business Recovery Center, located at Sultan City Hall (319 Main Street) to answer questions and assist with the disaster loan application process. Hours: Mondays – Wednesdays, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Thursdays, 10:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Fridays, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.  The Center closes April 3, 2026, at 2 p.m.  

Also available is the Snohomish County Disaster Loan Outreach Center located at the Snohomish Library/Big Study Room (311 Maple Ave.). Hours: Mondays - Thursdays, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., Fridays, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Saturdays, 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. 

No appointment is necessary at either location, walk-ins are welcome. Those who prefer to schedule an in-person appointment in advance can do so at https://appointment.sba.gov/.

Businesses and nonprofits are eligible to apply for business physical disaster loans and may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.

Homeowners and renters are eligible to apply for home and personal property loans and may borrow up to $100,000 to replace or repair personal property, such as clothing, furniture, cars, and appliances. Homeowners may apply for up to $500,000 to replace or repair their primary residence.

Application deadlines: Physical damage/April 27, 2026; Economic injury/November 24, 2026. 

For details about SBA’s Disaster Assistance low-interest loans, please visit http://www.sba.gov/disaster or contact the SBA Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.

Monroe Launches Online Permitting March 23, 2026

The City of Monroe is introducing a new online permitting portal to streamline the application process. Beginning Monday, March 23, applicants can submit building, land use, public works/engineering, and fire permit applications—along with supporting documents—through a secure online system. The portal offers real-time application tracking, inspection scheduling, and online payment of fees, improving efficiency for both applicants and city staff. For details, visit MonroeWA.gov/onlinepermits.

Currently, most permit applications are received, reviewed, and processed via email. The permit portal reduces, if not eliminates, much of the back-and-forth emails between applicants and staff reviewing the application. The portal is well organized making it easy for applicant to make the correct selections.

Permit applications ready for submittal now should be submitted by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. No applications will be accepted Thursday, March 19 and Friday, March 20 to allow for the transition to the new software.  

To submit a permit application starting on March 23, users must create and register an account. Once registered, they can submit applications for building permits (e.g. new residential/commercial construction, remodels, decks, etc.), public works/engineering permits (e.g. right-of-way, grading, retaining wall), land use permits (e.g.  temporary use, boundary line adjustment, conditional use), and fire permits (e.g. fire alarm, fire sprinklers, tent/canopies). 

Applicants who do not have access to the permit portal can receive assistance at the Permit Center, Monroe City Hall, 806 W. Main Street, during business hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 to 5 p.m. and Wednesday, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. 

Should applicants have specific questions about their permit application, contact the Permit Center at 360-863-4501 or, depending on the type of permit, email building@monroewa.gov or landuse@monroewa.gov. 

Come support the Monroe High School’s Sports Medicine Club at their annual 5k Fun Run on Saturday, March 28 at 9 a.m. at Lake Tye Park.

This is a fun, family-friendly “obstacle style” race around the path at Lake Tye. 

Cost: $25 for a shirt, $20 without a shirt.

Event proceeds go towards sending the Monroe High School’s Sports Medicine students to the Sports Medicine State Competition.

Welcome to the first issue of Monroe Monthly! Be informed about City happenings and stay connected with the City by reading this new, once-a-month format designed to make it easier to stay informed.

Read the first issue of ‘Monroe Monthly’ here.

Monroe’s 29th Annual Community Egg Hunt will take place Saturday, April 4 at Lake Tye Park. Pre-event activities organized by local organizations and businesses begin at 9 a.m., and the hunt begins at 10 a.m.

Ages 10 and under are welcome to hunt. The fields are organized by age group and will hunt ONE AT A TIME. Please listen to the DJ to announce when your field can begin the hunt and remember to bring your own basket. Be sure to open your eggs at the park as there are prize winning tickets in the eggs.

We will continue to include a 5th field that is available for kids with cognitive and/or physical disabilities that may need adult help. Orange ‘Field E’ will hunt first at 10 a.m. The City of Monroe thanks our community partners in making the Community Egg Hunt event more accessible and fun for children of all abilities.

Thank you to this years sponsors and community partners for making this event happen: Big Dog's, EvergreenHealth Monroe, Mathnasium of Monroe, Monroe Fred Meyer, Galaxy Theatre, Monroe Adult Family Home (AFH) Provider Network, Monroe Gospel Women's Mission, Republic Services, and Rotary Club of Monroe.

Through this program, community members can "adopt" a storm drain in their neighborhood and commit to keeping it clear of leaves, trash, and other debris. By doing so, volunteers help prevent local flooding, reduce water pollution, and support the health of nearby rivers, lakes, and streams.

Storm drains are the first line of defense in our stormwater management system. When drains are blocked, it can lead to street flooding and allow harmful materials to enter our waterways. This program gives residents a hands-on way to make a difference—right on their own block.

Visit our Monroe Adopt-a-Drain page.

Signing up is simple and only takes a few minutes by going to https://wa.adopt-a-drain.org/

The City of Monroe will be removing the wire mesh fencing from the dog park this week in preparation for the annual flooding of the Skykomish River to preserve the rail fencing from water flow. The flooding occurs during winter months, approximately October through April. 

The dog park is still open to the public. However, containment for the dogs is limited to the 4-foot split rail fence, and dog owners should be extra vigilant as most dogs can escape this area. 

The City will reinstall the wire mesh fence after the flood season is over (depending on the season, around March or early April).

As an alternative option, the Evergreen State Fair Park Winter Dog Park is open from October to February. This is a fully fenced, covered arena for your dogs to enjoy. Due to Fair Park events this venue does include some date closures. Please monitor the City of Monroe and the Evergreen State Fair Park Facebook pages for the most up-to-date notifications and visit the Winter Dog Park’s information page for more information.

If you have additional questions, please contact the City of Monroe Parks & Recreation Department at (360) 863-4559.

The City of Monroe received confirmation from the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW) that a Mallard duck found at Sky River Park tested positive for Avian influenza (bird flu). WDFW staff removed the sick duck from the park.

Several other birds exhibiting symptoms of bird flu were also removed from Lake Tye. 

The City of Monroe will provide further updates as we receive them. WDFW does not advise any park closure, but will post signage at the park and advise that the following information from the Washington State Department of Health be shared with the public: 

The Washington State Department of Health has extensive information on avian influenza on its' website. Bird flu viruses are not easily transmissible from birds to people, but without proper hygiene, or if in prolonged contact with a sick bird, the risk increases and the virus can potentially evolve to spread between humans. While it is extremely unlikely that hunters or people feeding wild birds could contract bird flu, the following common-sense precautions are recommended to reduce the risk of contracting any wildlife disease: 

• •    Wear disposable gloves when cleaning harvested birds or cleaning bird feeders. 
• •    Do not dispose of processed carcasses in the field where they could be eaten by raptors. Bag them and place in the garbage, bury, or incinerate them. 
• •    Take special precautions to ensure that all equipment (boots, clothes, vehicles, firearms) are cleaned and disinfected to prevent the spread of diseases. 
• •    Do not harvest or handle wild birds that are obviously sick or found dead. 
• •    Do not eat, drink, or smoke while cleaning game. 
• •    Wash hands with soap and water or alcohol wipes immediately after handling game or cleaning bird feeders. 
• •    Wash tools and work surfaces used to clean game birds with soap and water, then disinfect with a 10 percent solution of chlorine bleach. 
• •    Separate raw meat, and anything it touches, from cooked or ready-to-eat foods to avoid contamination. 
• •    Cook game birds thoroughly. Meat should reach an internal temperature of 155 to 165 degrees Fahrenheit to kill disease organisms and parasites.

If you experience flu-like symptoms following contact with birds, local health department. They can provide public health guidance and initiate symptom monitoring.  In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend getting a seasonal flu vaccine every year. This will decrease the likelihood of being infected with human seasonal flu and bird flu at the same time. Additional animal and human health and safety information regarding avian influenza is on the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service website.

If you see a bird exhibiting symptoms of bird flu such as:

• Tilting of head / excessive shaking of head
• Lack of coordination / swimming in circles
• Lethargic movements 

Please first report the sick, injured, or dead bird to WDFW and then notify the Monroe Parks Department at 360-863-4559.