Lewis County Sheriff Rob Snaza announced his retirement to office staff in a Nov. 6 memorandum obtained by The Chronicle.
According to the memo, Snaza said he is retiring at the end of his term in December 2026.
“Working with you all at the LCSO has been one of the greatest privileges of my career,” Snaza wrote. “Your dedication, support and commitment to our mission and vision have inspired me every day. Together, we have accomplished so much, and I am truly proud of what we have built and achieved as a team. I am blessed to be surrounded by such great people.”
Snaza indicated that the decision to retire — and not seek re-election — was made after “much thought and reflection.”
He added there is “still a lot to accomplish in the upcoming year,” and wrote that the “administration will continue to work hard to support our employees.”
Snaza was first elected sheriff in Lewis County in 2014 after considering a run in 2010.
He was reelected in 2018 and 2022.
Snaza began working for the sheriff’s office as a patrol deputy in 1995 and later became a sergeant. He previously served commanding roles in the Lewis County Regional Crime Task Force and the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team.
Tracy Murphy of the Centralia Police Department and the Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team has announced he will again pursue the office of sheriff in 2026 after previously running against Snaza in 2022. Longtime sheriff’s office staffer Danny Riordan has also announced plans to run for sheriff. Other candidates have been rumored to be pursuing the office, but no other official announcements have been made.
Last May, amid claims that his recent purchase of a home in Arizona and a six-week absence from the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office were indicators of an early retirement and potential abdication of duties, Snaza said he had no intention to vacate his office before the end of his elected term in 2026.
He said his recent absence from the sheriff’s office was the result of medical reasons and a long vacation.
“We are not moving any time soon. We’re not going to leave and abandon the county, and I have no intentions of retiring, resigning, any time before my term is up,” Snaza told The Chronicle at the time.
Read more of that article here: https://www.chronline.com/stories/sheriff-rob-snaza-speaks-on-rumors-surrounding-his-six-week-absence,380996
