Suspect charged with rape of girl disappears

Fri., July 30, 2004

From staff reports

Stevens County sheriff’s officers continued to search Thursday for a child-rape suspect who failed to show up for a court appearance.

Sgt. Jim Caruso said authorities aren’t sure whether Darren L. Zerba, 38, is a fugitive or a suicide victim.

Nor do officers know whether Zerba was armed when he left his pickup a couple of miles from his home on Clark Lake Road, in the mountains about 20 miles northwest of Chewelah.

“It is densely wooded and he is very familiar with the terrain, so there are a lot of places he could go if he didn’t want to be found,” Caruso said. “We’re taking it all into account and just trying to find the man.”

Caruso declined to comment on whether Zerba left a suicide note or some other explanation for his behavior, but said his relatives were concerned that he was suicidal.

There were conflicting reports about whether Zerba was armed, “but no one has given us reason to believe that he is out to do physical harm to someone else,” Caruso said.

Zerba, who is divorced, was last seen Monday afternoon near his home. He was supposed to appear in court the next day for a pretrial conference in which he was to indicate whether he wanted to change his plea or proceed to trial next Friday.

He is charged with first-degree rape of a child. The alleged victim, now 8, told investigators that Zerba performed a sex act on her a couple of days before her sixth birthday.

Zerba has been free without bail, but Superior Court Judge Al Nielson set bail at $50,000 and issued a warrant for Zerba’s arrest when he failed to appear for Tuesday’s court hearing.

At the height of the search, about 20 lawmen and civilians combed a broad area with help from a Border Patrol helicopter. Now, Caruso said, officers are concentrating on following up tips and other information about where Zerba may be.

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