A missing-person case out of Tacoma has escalated into a homicide investigation, with authorities announcing two arrests. Detectives now say the inquiry has led them to human remains found on a military base.
The case centers on Caelick Bradley, described as an Army veteran who had been in the process of moving from Tacoma to Virginia to be with family. He was last seen in the Fife and Tacoma area in early June and was reported missing on June 12.
According to Tacoma police, a key break came during the missing-person investigation itself. Detectives determined that someone other than Bradley had been using his credit card, a lead that pushed the inquiry forward.
That information led detectives to a man who told them about a homicide in Lakewood, in the area of Addison Street Southwest. Investigators from the Tacoma Police Department worked alongside the Lakewood Police Department's major crimes unit on the case.
The man then led detectives to a location on Joint Base Lewis-McChord, where human remains were discovered. Officials cautioned that official identification of the remains and a determination of the cause of death remain pending an examination by the Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office.
Two suspects have since been taken into custody, and both were booked on a charge of first-degree murder. Authorities have noted that one of those arrested is a service member assigned to the base, while the circumstances and timing of the killing are still being investigated.
The suspects are expected to appear in court, though many questions remain unanswered at this early stage. Investigators have asked that anyone with information about the case come forward and contact the Lakewood Police Department's major crimes unit.