Man arrested with missing woman’s car

King County sheriff’s deputies arrested an acquaintance of a missing 19-year-old Spokane woman late Tuesday.

Deputies found Kevin Wayne Newlund, 20, in Maple Valley, Wash., and arrested him on suspicion of possessing stolen property. Authorities recovered Jamie Lynn Drake’s 1993 Ford Mustang.

There were no details on how Newlund was located, and Drake’s disappearance remains under investigation.

“I expect we will decide (today) how best to return the car to Spokane County for further investigation,” said Sgt. Jim Goodwin of the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office.

As of late Tuesday, detectives had not had an opportunity to speak with Newlund, a former boyfriend of Drake’s female roommate. He had lived with the two women as recently as two months ago, Spokane County sheriff’s deputies said.

Drake finished her shift at a North Side sandwich shop about 11:30 p.m. last Thursday, and then went to spend the night with a man she had recently met.

She was last seen Friday morning at the man’s apartment in the 2300 block of East Sanson, as he and his roommate left, according to the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office. Their identities are being withheld by police, but both reportedly are cooperating with investigators.

Deputies had been searching for Newlund, who was seen Sunday night driving a car resembling Drake’s silver Mustang.

Detectives have not yet questioned Newlund.

Interviews with Drake’s mother, Sue Nichols, her two sisters and numerous friends convinced the Sheriff’s Office that the young woman was missing and not simply a runaway.

“It’s not in her character to up and leave and not tell anybody,” said Drake’s friend Jameila Al-Shabaley.

What makes this case different from other missing person cases is there are no mental issues, no drug problems, no child custody issues, and no reason why this woman may have wanted to disappear, said Sheriff’s Office spokesman Sgt. Dave Reagan.

Another tell-tale sign for Drake’s friends was that her makeup bag was still at her apartment. “She doesn’t go anywhere without that,” Al-Shabaley said.

Drake graduated from Mead High School in June. She recently started working at the Subway sandwich shop because she had rented an apartment with a friend.

A global positioning satellite located Drake’s cell phone in Ellensburg on Saturday, said Tommy Frees, 22, a friend of Drake’s; Drake was not found.

Al-Shabaley said she and Drake have a tight group of friends, and Drake would have called one of them by now.