In the early morning hours of March 26, 2018, the quiet of a rural Eatonville, Washington neighborhood was shattered by the sound of gunfire. Inside her home on Webster Road East, 66-year-old Joanne Boyer, a Caucasian female, was in the bathroom when multiple bullets pierced the walls of the house. One of these rounds struck and killed her. The incident occurred at approximately 3:15 a.m., startling awake several family members who were also in the residence, including her husband, daughter, and two grandsons. Miraculously, no one else in the home was injured.
When Pierce County sheriff's deputies arrived at the scene, they found Joanne Boyer deceased. The investigation quickly led detectives to believe that the shooting was not a random act of violence, but rather a targeted attack on the home itself. Authorities stated that Boyer was not the intended victim of the drive-by shooting. Investigators believe that another person residing in the house was the likely target. Neighbors described the residence as a known drug house, suggesting a possible motive for the violent act.
Despite the targeted nature of the shooting, those responsible for Joanne Boyer's death have not been brought to justice. Law enforcement officials have not publicly identified any suspects or made any arrests in connection with the case. The Pierce County Sheriff's Office has appealed to the public for any information that could lead to an arrest, offering a reward for tips. The case remains an open investigation, a painful and unresolved tragedy for a family who lost a grandmother in a senseless act of violence.
