UPDATE: Murder suspect captured in Merchant Road area

Coordinated law enforcement effort

Lonnie Archibald photo 

Law enforcement at the scene of the capture of fugitive murder suspect Moises Ramirez Matias at 914 Merchant Road on Wednesday morning, Jan. 11. 


Forks Police Department update – Thursday, Jan. 12 

Moises Ramirez-Matias was arrested on January 11th at 11:20 am. Ramirez-Matias contacted an acquaintance in the area of 700 Merchants Rd to assist him in turning himself into police on January 11, 2012. 700 Merchants Rd is in the Clallam County Sheriffs Office jurisdiction.

The acquaintance then contacted Clallam County Sheriff Sergeant Brian King who coordinated the arrest with assistance from the Forks Police Department, LaPush Police, Port Angeles Police and Jefferson County Sheriff. Ramirez-Matias was arrested without incident. Ramirez-Matias wa booked into Clallam County Jail on charges of Murder 1 Family Domestic Violence on Thursday, January 12.

Forks Police Department Press Release 

Forks Police Officers, Clallam County Sheriffs Deputy’s, Port Angeles Police Officers, La Push Police Officers and Jefferson County Deputies arrested Homicide Suspect Moises Ramirez-Matias at an address in Forks based on a tip from a citizen. The arrest happened on Wednesday, Jan. 11 at 11:20 a.m. 


Radio Station KONP report – 11:45 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2012

A man wanted in connection with the stabbing death of a Forks woman has been arrested.Clallam County sheriff Bill Benedict says 25-year-old Moises Ramirez Matias was found hiding in the woods near Merchant Road in Forks about 11 this morning.

Yesterday, Clallam County prosecutors have filed first-degree murder charges again Matias even though he hadn’t been arrested yet. Prosecutors believe Matias stabbed Laranda Konopaski to death during a domestic violence incident at a trailer park in Forks Sunday morning.

Bail for Matias has been set at two million dollars.Authorities believed Matias was still be in the area.He lived with Konopaski. She was a member of last year’s Clallam Bay High School class. Police say she has a young daughter who is now in the custody of Child Protective Services.