In the early morning hours of July 5, 2020, a tragic scene unfolded inside a home on Pierce Street in Tacoma, Washington. Jonna Rae Hart, a 31-year-old Caucasian female, was found unresponsive alongside her roommate. A fourth roommate, returning home around 4 a.m., made the grim discovery and immediately called 911, initiating CPR until paramedics arrived.
Despite his efforts, both Jonna and the other woman, identified as 34-year-old Meghan Re, were pronounced dead at the scene.
Born and raised in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, Jonna was described as a beautiful soul with an adventurous and free spirit that had recently led her to Tacoma. Those who knew her remembered a wild and young presence, and her family held her close to their hearts. The initial death investigation quickly turned into a homicide investigation after the Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office determined that both Jonna Hart and Meghan Re had died from gunshot wounds to the head.
As Tacoma police detectives began their investigation, attention turned to another male roommate, Erik Larson, who was missing from the residence. Later that same day, just before 1:00 p.m., the King County Sheriff's Department reported that a deceased male had been found in the water off Vashon Island. The man was later identified as Erik Larson. Further investigation by law enforcement located a black Jeep registered to Jonna Hart parked near the Tacoma Narrows Bridge.
The Pierce County Medical Examiner ultimately ruled Erik Larson's death a suicide. In the days following the tragic events, the Tacoma Police Department identified Erik Larson as the suspect in the homicides of his two roommates, Jonna Hart and Meghan Re. While a motive for the killings has not been publicly released, the investigation concluded with the death of the sole suspect.
