Yesterday afternoon, a pink car out of gas and an interaction with a helpful Garberville-based CHP officer led to the arrest of a couple suspected in the kidnapping and murder of 31-year-old Rachell Rene Roberts, whose body was located earlier this month off U.S. Forest Service Road 24, near the intersection with Hwy 119, in the Lake Cushman area in Mason County, Washington.

According to CHP Sgt. Matt Harvey, officers in Humboldt County had been alerted Saturday morning that 28-year-old Kylie Kadeen Craig and 37-year-old Mathew Collett, who were suspected in the death of Roberts, were believed to be in the area.

“About 12:15 [in the afternoon] an officer was traveling northbound on Redwood Drive and saw this spray-painted black and pink Hyundai with hazard lights on,”
Harvey said.  The officer saw a woman walking away from the vehicle. “She explained she was out of gas,” Harvey said.

The officer noticed Oregon plates on the vehicle. “He thought, ‘Something doesn’t feel right here,'” Harvey said. On closer examination, the vehicle had Chevy emblems and the license plate number was from a Toyota. The officer ran the vehicles VIN and it came back to a Hyundai wanted in connection with the homicide out of Mason County, Washington.

“[The woman] had initially given the officer a false name,” Harvey said. But a Humboldt County sheriff’s deputy arrived on the scene with more information.

“That was really helpful in identifying her,” the sergeant said. Harvey said he began working with the Mason County Sheriff’s Department. The vehicle was towed for evidence.

Although the details aren't clear, Collett was arrested later sheriff's office deputies, about 6 p.m., according to Humboldt County jail records.

The Mason County Sheriff's Department reported on Facebook that both suspects were arrested.

Roberts’ body was found in a rural area of Mason County. Washington, on Oct. 2. According to a statement from the Mason County Sheriff’s Office, “It was apparent from the evidence at the scene that this was a homicide. … We were able to identify the victim as Rachell Rene Roberts. She was assaulted and the Medical Examiner found signs of suffocation.”

An Oct. 8 Facebook post from the Mason County Sheriff’s Department: 

Over the past week, members of the MCSO, WSP and the FBI have been diligently investigating this homicide.

The investigation to this point has provided evidence which led to the MCSO requesting two arrest warrants for Murder and Kidnapping for; 1) Mathew Collett, white male, 37 yoa, 5’09”, 180, blue eyes, and bald 2) Kylie Kadeen Craig, white female, 28 yoa, 5’03”, 180, brown eyes and brownish/blond hair

Associated Vehicle: WA/BTX1364, 2013Hyundia Elantra, RED.

The Mason County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the assistance from the public with locating these two suspects. DO NOT CONFRONT THESE SUSPECTS. THEY ARE CONSIDERED ARMED AND DANGEROUS.