In the fall of 2017, 25-year-old Wendi Traynor was starting a new chapter in her life. After ending a tumultuous two-year relationship with her ex-boyfriend, Joshua Ellis, she had moved back to her home state of Washington from Kentucky. She settled into a new apartment in Milton on November 1, 2017, eager for a fresh start. However, this new beginning was tragically cut short. On November 10, 2017, after not hearing from her for a week, Wendi's concerned father, uncle, and aunt entered her apartment to find her deceased on the floor. An investigation determined she had died from a single gunshot wound to the head.
The focus of the investigation quickly turned to Wendi's ex-boyfriend, Joshua Ellis. Their relationship had been fraught with difficulties, and Wendi had reportedly told a friend that Ellis had been physically abusive and had threatened her family. After she moved back to Washington, Ellis followed her. The last time her family heard from her was on November 3, when she sent a text message saying she was going to meet with her 'ex' to discuss their relationship. Investigators discovered that Ellis's cell phone records placed him in the vicinity of Wendi's apartment on the day she was last heard from. Further evidence was found in Ellis's repossessed car, where police discovered an empty handgun holster and ammunition that matched the shell casing found at the crime scene.
Ellis turned himself in to the authorities on November 12, 2017, and was subsequently charged with second-degree murder. In 2019, a jury found him guilty, and he was sentenced to over 23 years in prison. However, this conviction was later overturned in 2021 by the Washington state court of appeals, which ruled that Ellis had not received a fair trial due to prosecutorial misconduct involving racial stereotypes during jury selection.
Instead of facing a retrial, Joshua Ellis entered into a plea agreement in August 2023, pleading guilty to second-degree murder. While the prosecution recommended a sentence of 10 years and three months, a Pierce County judge ultimately sentenced Ellis to 15 years in prison in December 2023. During the sentencing, the judge noted the callousness with which Ellis had left Wendi's body in her apartment for a week and the profound and lasting trauma inflicted upon her family. Wendi's family expressed their deep grief and the enduring pain of their loss, remembering her as a beautiful and wonderful person with an infectious laugh.
