Natasha Blouin, a 31-year-old White/Caucasian female, was a resident of Freeland, Washington, and a mother of four. Her life was tragically cut short on January 11, 2019, in what was determined to be a murder-suicide. The incident unfolded during a scheduled child custody exchange on Whidbey Island.
On that Friday afternoon, Natasha drove to the Greenbank home of her ex-boyfriend, 42-year-old John Meadows, for the custody exchange of their 10-month-old son.
Investigators believe that upon her arrival, Meadows forced her back into her blue Toyota Prius. Inside the vehicle, with their infant son in the back seat, Meadows shot Natasha in the head with an SKS-style rifle. The child was physically unharmed.
After killing Natasha, Meadows drove to a location near Freeland. During this time, he contacted Natasha's mother to tell her what he had done and also made threats against her and her partner. Sometime after this call, Meadows took his own life. Law enforcement officials who responded to the initial report of a domestic disturbance found Natasha's body in the car and their unharmed baby. Meadows' body was discovered nearby.
The investigation into the tragic event pointed to a dispute over child visitation rights as the likely motive. Natasha's mother had previously expressed concerns about Meadows' behavior, describing it as obsessive and unsettling. The Island County Sheriff's Office identified John Meadows as the sole suspect in Natasha's murder, and with his subsequent suicide, the case was closed as they were not looking for any other individuals in connection with the crime.
