Alone In The Darkness (13 page)

Everett Free Gazette

By: Mitchell Gretton

Title:
Miracle Woman Survives Drug Related Kidnapping

Jennifer Lang's Friday evening ended like all the ones prior, she said goodnight at the bar and headed home at the end of her evening shift. That’s when her night turned for the worst, as she was swept up in a drug related kidnapping that ended with four dead, two in critical condition, and over a dozen people arrested.

On Friday evening Jennifer was kidnapped by Steven Pfeffer, a local drug dealer, and taken to a Lake Stevens bank where she was ordered to withdraw money to pay off a drug related debt.

“It is surprising, the callus behavior and lengths this man went to satisfying a debt,” said a police investigator intimate with the case. “They nearly ended this young woman's life for about a thousand dollars.”

The police said that they were already looking for Pfeffer, who was being investigated in relation to a drug related shooting earlier in the evening, when they believe he kidnapped Jennifer. Steven is accused of shooting two individuals, that left a child parentless and in protective custody. According to the police, they tracked his car to a local Everett bar where they believe he kidnapped Jennifer. From there he held Jennifer at gunpoint, robbed her by driving to a local bank and withdrawing money from an ATM. He finally brought her to a house on Highway 530, east of Arlington, which was used primarily for drug production.

The police informed the Gazette that Jennifer was thrown into a neighboring house where she was bound, gagged, and tortured. The house contained almost a dozen people high on, what is believed to be, methamphetamines. The condition of the house was described as a “decrepit hazard”, stating that there were bodies, drugs, and needles strewn everywhere. The Snohomish County Hazardous Waste Task Force is currently cleaning up the building.

The police have indicated that they believe the drug dealers were actively preparing to murder and dispose of Jennifer’s body to hide the kidnapping. They found supplies in the house that they believe were going to be used to cover up the planned murder.

Jennifer was rescued when a neighbor called in a domestic dispute claiming to hear screams coming from the house. It was learned later that these screams were Jennifer’s. The police responded to the domestic call and stumbled upon the house. Soon after arriving the occupants began shooting. The police responded leaving two people dead. An additional individual was chased to the banks of the Stillaguamish River where shots were exchanged. Police confirmed he died near the river. All of the individuals were identified as members of a local drug ring. The body of Steven Pfeffer was also recovered. He appears to have been murdered and the police assume it was done by one of the individuals in the house.

Two other men were found in critical condition. The police are investigating if these men were victims or accomplices. The drug production house is believed to be part of a larger drug ring located in Snohomish County. A wide range of drugs were found including heroin, cocaine, and marijuana. The police estimate the recovered drugs have a street value of nearly $250,000.

Jennifer was treated for minor injuries to the head and arms, but has since been released to her family in Lake Stevens, where she is recovering. Her family released a brief statement thanking the Everett and Arlington police for their help in this case and requesting the community pray for their family as Jennifer heals from her ordeal.

The police collected numerous vehicles, phones, and documents from the crime scene and are trying to piece together more information regarding the drug organization. Currently the police have stated that they are not making any additional arrests in this case, but have not ruled out a wider conspiracy.

The police do not believe that Jennifer was involved with the drug ring, but was merely in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The Everett and Lake Stevens Mayors have reached out thanking the local police force and expressing their support for Jennifer and her family. Everett Mayor Tamara Nichols commented, “We battle every day to ensure our community is safe and secure. It breaks our hearts to hear of events like this, but we are blessed to have a police force willing to do what is needed to protect our communities.”

Thank you

Matthew Buza is a part time engineer, part time farmer, and a full time stay at home dad. He lives with his family on a small farm in Arlington, WA.

For more information on my writing and other projects visit my website:
www.matthewbuza.com

Yes, I enjoy Belgian Trappist beers.