KGMI News

WHATCOM COUNTY, Wash. – Whatcom County Sheriff’s investigators have made an arrest in the 1989 murder of Mandy Stavik.

The 18 year old Central Washington University freshman left the family home on Strand Road to go jogging with their dog on November 24th of that year.

The dog returned home but Mandy didn’t.

Her nude body was found in the Nooksack River several days later.

The Sheriff’s Department continued to investigate, and in recent years Timothy Forrest Bass, who is now 50 years old, emerged as a suspect.

Bass lived near her family’s home on Strand Road at the time of the murder and a recent DNA test found a match with genetic material found on her body in 1989.

Detectives arrested Bass Tuesday on suspicion of 1st Degree Kidnapping, 1st Degree Rape and 1st Degree Murder.

The Whatcom County Sheriff’s office asks that anyone with information on Timothy Bass that may be helpful to the investigation call 360-788-5303.

Listen to Sheriff Bill Elfo’s press conference below –