The handyman named a “person of interest” in the disappearance and death of 82-year-old Marcia Norman was officially charged Monday for Norman’s murder.
Jeffrey Kian Zizz, 47, has been in custody since April 8 on an unrelated violation of conditions of release for an October 2021 child molestation case. He was extradited from Missoula, Montana, to the Thurston County Jailon April 13, according to previous Chronicle reporting.
The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office, in a coordinated effort with the Thurston County Prosecutor’s Office, officially booked Zizz on charges related to Norman’s death — including first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping and unlawful disposal of human remains — Sunday, April 20, according to a news release and Thurston County Jail records.
The booking means that Zizz will remain in custody until the case is resolved in Thurston County Superior Court, regardless of the outcome of the child molestation case he was initially arrested on.
Zizz had a preliminary hearing on the charges scheduled for 2:30 p.m. on Monday in Thurston County Superior Court.
The charging information was not publicly available as of The Chronicle’s Monday afternoon press deadline.
Zizz was allegedly the last person to see Norman alive before she was reported missing from her McIntosh Lake-area residence near Tenino by family on April 4, according to previous Chronicle reporting.
At the time, the family said they had not heard from Norman since April 1 and both of her vehicles were parked at her residence near McIntosh Lake, according to the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office.
During the investigation, detectives learned that Norman had dinner the evening of April 1 with Zizz, who was identified as her handyman.
On Sunday, April 6, Zizz reportedly left the state using a friend’s vehicle — violating his conditions of release for an October 2021 Thurston County Superior Court case where he was convicted on two counts of second-degree child molestation and one count of communication with a minor for immoral purposes.
Zizz was arrested in Missoula, Montana, on a Thurston County Superior Court warrant for the conditions violation at approximately 1:11 a.m. on April 8, according to previous Chronicle reporting.
Meanwhile, the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office stated, “detectives discovered Zizz recently built a shed at an unrelated property in Olympia the day after Marcia Norman was reported missing.”
Detectives obtained power equipment to move the shed and excavate the ground beneath it on April 9, according to a news release.
Norman’s remains were discovered partially encased in concrete during the excavation.
“We extend our deepest condolences to the Norman family during this unimaginable loss,” the Thurston County Sheriff’s office said in a news release on Sunday, April 20. “Despite their grief, the family has been actively engaged, supportive, and helpful throughout the investigation.”
In an official statement released on Sunday, the Norman family wrote, “Our family has experienced the loss of our center. Marcia was the one that brought us together. We are thankful for the efforts of law enforcement, the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office (and) the Missoula Police Department in handling this matter.”
The family added that they “are cooperating in the investigation in an effort to come to a resolution regarding the manner of death. Our family is grieving and looking for ways to honor her memory. Marcia was an engaged member of her community and family, full of life with plans for the future. She is loved by many.”
Norman’s family has “asked for privacy and will not be making any further public comments,” the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office stated Sunday.
The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office thanked law enforcement partners, including the Olympia Police Department, the Washington state Department of Corrections, U.S. Army CID, Idaho State Police, the Missoula Police Department and the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office, for their collaboration and support, without which “this complex investigation would not have been possible,” the sheriff’s office stated.
The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office announced Sunday that Sheriff Derek Sanders, Prosecutor Jon Tunheim and Coroner Gary Warnock would provide additional details about the investigation during a press conference at 5 p.m. on Monday.
An updated article with the information released during that press conference will be available at chronline.com.
