The King County Sheriff's Office said it would be clearing the scene at Rattlesnake Ridge Trailhead by 6:30 p.m. or so Saturday, April 28.
The bunker has officially been turned over to King County Parks. It will be up to the Parks Department and the Department of Natural Resources to determine what happens to it from here on out, the Sheriff's Office said.
King County's Major Crimes detectives have taken items from the bunker, including numerous guns and fuel supplies (see photos) and will place them into evidence. At some point they will look at the computer and the numerous hard drives that were found in the bunker to see what more they can learn about this case.
After the long operation, taxing the King County Sheriff's Office since early Friday morning, authorities say there will be no additional information released about this case for the rest of the weekend. The Medical Examiner will confirm the cause of death and identity of the person found in the bunker, likely on Monday.
Previous Story, last updated April 28, 3 p.m.:
King County Sheriff’s TAC 30 (SWAT) deputies found a body believed to be that of murder suspect Peter Keller in a bunker in the woods near North Bend, Wash., around 10 a.m., Saturday, April 28, the King County Sheriff's Office said.
The TAC 30 team used an explosive to breach the roof of the heavily fortified hideout, which allowed enough access for the deputies to enter the bunker. Once inside deputies discovered a body that they said appeared to be Keller, and it appeared as though he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Keller has been wanted by police since last Sunday, when his wife, Lynettee Rocha Keller, and daughter, Kaylene Keller, Police used photos recovered from the home and tips from area hikers to track the location of the bunker, just near the trailhead of the Rattlesnake Ridge Trail near North Bend. Keller last week.
The Sheriff’s Office will use its Bomb Disposal Unit to clear the bunker to ensure there are no explosives or booby traps. Once the bunker has been cleared detectives will enter the bunker and conduct a crime scene investigation, according to a press release from the sheriff's office.
The King County Medical Examiner's Office will conduct an investigation to determine actual cause of death and positively identify the body.
KING 5 News reported that officers saw lights go on in the bunker Friday night, and that several officers have been treated for exhaustion during the lengthy operation.
