SPANAWAY: Chris Virdell

A teenager disappeared on his way to work in Spanaway, Washington one morning… leaving behind no clues, no witnesses, and no answers for what would be two very long years. His parents had to turn into detectives to try and find him when no one else would. This tragic case will end in not one, but two shocking and senseless murders. Welcome to Washed Away, a podcast that breathes new life into Washington state’s coldest cases. I’m Ashley Smith and on this episode I’m covering the unsolved murder of Chris Virdell.

Sources for this episode include: The Chronicle, Nisqually Valley News, Find Chris Virdell, KIRO 7, and Casemine.

If you know anything about the kidnapping and/or murder of Christopher Virdell in Spanaway, WA in 2012, please call the Pierce County Sheriff's office at 253-798-7530 or you can submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers, their information is in the flyer below.

Transcript-

Ashley: On the morning of February 9th, 2012, a teenager disappeared on his way to work in Spanaway, Washington. He left behind no clues, no witnesses, and no answers for what would be two very long years. His own parents would have to turn into detectives to try and find him because no one else would. This tragic and infuriating case will end with not one, but two shocking and senseless murders. This is Washed Away, the podcast that breathes new life into Washington State's coldest cases. I'm Ashley Smith and on this episode, I'm covering the unsolved murder of Chris Virdell.

Paul: We want Chris to have justice for sure. With me working the case it comes down to finally, uh, the detective came to me and uh, asked me if I wouldn't mind, would I allow him to take copies of all my files and notes and all my leads and what I've been doing? He says, because we really don't got nothing to go by.

Ashley: That’s Paul Virdell father of 18 year old. You'll also hear a little bit from Chris's mom, Melanie, on this episode. The Virdell family lived in Spanaway, Washington, which if you're not familiar is an unincorporated area just south of Tacoma. Christopher Dylan Virdell was born on June 22nd, 1993. He grew up to be five eight with shaggy brown hair and brown eyes. Almost every photo I've seen of him has the same sweet, shy smile. His parents couldn't say enough nice things about him. 

Paul: Helicopters was his thing ever since he was little baby walking around toddler, he, he loved helicopters and he wouldn't play with anybody unless they had a helicopter. It wasn't a car or truck. And, uh, he, as he grew up, it got even stronger and he wanted to, um, become. Um, coast guard, helicopter, pilot, working out there in the Bering Strait with all the fishermen he wanted to be. That's what he wanted to do. We watched him grow up in wanting that, and it wasn't until, uh, he graduated and when he was 17 and he wanted to take him a little bit of break off that summer.

Paul: So he didn't enlist right away. But, um, he was, he had good grades. There was one, one thing about his schooling that we, we just couldn't figure out. He didn't explain to us or his teachers didn't but he was failing PE. And I was like, how, how can you fail PE but we didn't find this out until after he had went missing. And, um, some girl notified us and wrote, wrote us a letter about him. And he actually took a seat and didn't participate in PE every day. So he could sit and keep this girl company. She was handicapped and she couldn't do physical ed. So he would take an F every day to sit with her because everybody picked on her, teased her and gave her a bad time. And she wrote us this letter and told us that he was the only thing that made her smile and he insisted to visit with her and be with her during PE it all made sense then because he had graduated and his graduating year, he, uh, they made him take two PE periods in order for him to get the enough points to graduate.

Paul: He was a really, really good kid. Everybody loved him. And, uh, he used to volunteer his summers over at, uh, um, at the food market, in Puyallup. And, uh, he used to carry groceries for customers that were down at the farmer's market. That was his passion is volunteering and, and giving, you know, and I never, I never could tell him no, you know, he got to do everything he wanted to do. And, uh, he was pretty responsible.

Ashley: That PE story is so sweet, but it also has me concerned about whoever their teacher was. Maybe I'm ignorant to how things work in school these days, but couldn't they have found an activity that everyone could do together, or why wouldn't the teacher tell the parents that he wasn't participating in class? Why would you fail him for doing something nice like that? I, I don't get it, but that's not really important to the case. What is important is what happened to Chris on February 9th, 2012. That would be the last day that his parents would see him.

Melanie: So I remember that Thursday morning, like it was yesterday and I normally was not awake with him in the morning. And usually my husband was, but I woke up that morning and it was really cold out. So I said, do you want some oatmeal, Chris I'll make you some oatmeal before going out to work. And he said, yeah. So I made him some oatmeal and he was rushing, you know, getting ready rushing. And he always waited till the last minute. And so he ain't and he was rushing out the door and I hollered to him. I said, get your butt back here and give me and your dad a hug and kiss goodbye. And then he did and then rushed out the door. And that's the last time… 

Paul: Yeah, that morning, that morning is his phone pretty much went dead, uh, about 9:40. 

Melanie: He was stopping by a friends house before going to work that morning because he loaned his friends, dad either a hundred or a couple hundred dollars to pay their power bill. And so they were paying him back that morning before he went to work. So we stopped by there and that's where the last time he was, he walked out of that kid's back yard.And it was just minutes after that his phone went dead. 

Ashley: He was last seen wearing a black Safeway t-shirt it's where he worked. Black Dickies pants and a fluorescent orange hunting jacket that he actually wore year-round. Did Safeway call you and say that he didn't show up? Or how did you find out that he didn't make it to work?

Paul: They didn't, they didn't call us. And so that's, that’s what upset me because they didn't call us to see if Chris was coming to work because it wasn't mine to him. He was never missed a day's work. 

Ashley: Technically Chris was an adult. He had turned 18, but to his parents, he was still just a kid. And they were understandably very worried when they hadn't heard from him all day and even more so when they found out he never made it to work, these things were very out of character for Chris. He talked to his parents all the time, all day long and he never missed work. At what point did everyone realize like, oh, he's really, really missing. Like something really bad has happened. He's nowhere to be found…

Melanie: Later that night after Chris always was hanging out with his oldest brother. And when we finally got in contact with his oldest brother and his older brother, hadn't heard from him or seen him either. That's when we all pretty much knew, oh God, something's wrong. I remember going out to the bus stop and just looking for like evidence of like a scuffle in the gravel or the dirt? No, or anything like that and we were looking around and then we started searching the next morning, my husband and I.

Paul: The very next morning, we just started searching off like 10, 20 feet, 30 feet off the side of the road. In case he got hit by a drunk driver or something. 

Melanie: It was 109 hours after we reported scene before we finally spoke with a detective about it.

Paul: Yeah, they told us that it would just be 48 hours, but it wasn't for… took them quite awhile to get to us. 

Ashley: Chris’s parents told me that not only did it take an unusually long time to report Chris as a missing person, but the detectives pretty much refused to treat his disappearance as anything other than a runaway. Something that we hear, unfortunately, a lot in cases like this one. When I say we, I mean, you, me, everyone else who listens to true crime podcasts. Because of this Paul and Melanie had to become their own detectives and search for their son at the same time that they were understandably devastated by his disappearance. Something no parents or loved ones should have to do. They hired a canine unit to track Chris’s scent. They interviewed the bus driver on the route that Chris took to work every day, they started a Facebook page and a website with case information. They put up flyers, they talked to Chris's friends, they went above and beyond to try and find their kid. And what they found was a surprising amount of violence in their neighborhood. 

Paul: Because there was, there was some trouble in the neighborhood there in the community with gangs and, and, uh, other students getting beat up, left for dead at bus stops. His best friend had his skull smashed in, uh, by somebody who had punched him when he was sitting in his car. So there was trouble going on, you know, and, and we were trying to, uh, keep Chris away from all the trouble. And his friend got robbed and they robbed him. So, um, took, took everything out of his pockets that they could, and that he had, and they ended up punching him and it smashed his skull. And that was about three weeks before Chris went missing.

Paul: The parents, they didn't report it to the cops because they, I think it was just in fear of retaliation because they didn't want, um, any more trouble. So, you know, and I figured that his, his friend is marked. I told Chris, you know, don't, don't be taking any rides from him. You know, and don't, don't be in his car. Don't be seen in his car. I told him, you know, you just, you just going to have to either ride the bus home or call me, I'll come pick you up from work. And, um, tried to, to try to avoid him being around that kid because that kid was, they were after that kid, they got him, they got him more than once. It's just the one time when he got his head smashed in.

Ashley: It's unclear if whoever attacked that kid had anything to do with Chris's disappearance, but it's definitely an odd coincidence, even if just by timing and location. 

Paul: We tried getting him on the news and, uh, the new stations kept turning us down and they would, they couldn't, yeah, they couldn't report on it until it was released from the Sheriff's department. And we were like, what do you mean? Well, they had him listed as a runaway for 14 months from the day he went missing and they were trying to work the case like they were gonna pop open some big gang organized stuff, you know, with all the kids getting hurt in the area. And, um, and we didn't know that we had no idea that they had this listed him as a runaway. And finally, when the news station told us, Hey, you know, he's a runaway, we don't report runaways that, that I blew up - I blew up big time. 

Ashley: Unfortunately with no one willing to come forward with information, no witnesses, no evidence, no clues, nothing despite Paul and Melanie's greatest efforts, Chris remained missing for what felt like a lifetime to his family. In reality, it would be an excruciatingly long two years until February of 2014, when human remains were found that were thought to be Chris. But then his family had to wait even longer before those remains could be tested and confirmed. That confirmation wouldn't come until September of 2014.

Paul: The guy that found him was, um, he was, uh, he was pretty young, uh, uh, gentlemen, he himself, and, uh, he had a hunting dog that was an old retired. Hunting dog, um, from Mexico. And, um, the dog was just really old in his last years, you know, and, and retired. And he didn't, he didn't use them anymore to attract and hunt, but the dog just stayed on a chain and it's in his older years and just relaxed and, and didn't do nothing. Didn't get excited to do nothing or anything the guy said. And for some reason that morning, he said his dog just was upset about something and just what was going on and on and on and on. And he never acted like that before. And he said he just went on and on until he snapped his chain. And then he just took off full speed running down the road. It was a dirt gravel road.

Paul: It was, it was about a half a mile he said. Um, and so he jumped in his truck to chase after the dog and he could see the chain drag marks in the gravel road going down, and then it veered off into the woods and he calls and he calls and he calls him. He couldn't get the dog to come out or anything and, uh, couldn't get his attention. So he went back home and grabbed his other dogs, his hunting dogs, and he let them track him into the woods. And, uh, they ended up finding him and the dog was just sitting down next to a log. And, uh, the guy said he don't know what the problem was. And maybe his chain was caught. So he unbuckled this chain from is his collar. And he, he said, uh, he started walking out and it wasn't until halfway out of the woods there, he looked back and he didn't have his dog, his dog wasn't following him. So his dog wouldn't leave the spot next to the log. The tree that was down and, uh, wouldn't leave that spotting. He wanted to get his attention onto it.

Paul: And the guy said, you know, he looked three or four different times around, you know, and told him to come on. And he just wouldn't, he just wouldn't get up and move. And it wasn't until he looked at it again. And it was, uh, there was a big pile of trash out there and people had thrown their trash and, uh, he said it wasn't until. That was the fifth time he glanced over there. And then he seen a shirt and some pants. 

Ashley: The discovery of Chris's remains didn't bring closure to his parents, but they told the Nisqually Valley News at the time that it gave them a sense of finality. They could finally stop searching and they could finally lay their son to rest. They moved to California, not too long after and did just that. I spoke to Paul and Melanie for close to two hours and recording this episode, and they were, I'm not sure what the right word is? Maybe relieved? That someone wanted to know what happened to Chris. Like someone was asking questions and curious why something like this would happen and why no one had been held accountable. And I think that's because it's been clear from the moment that Chris went missing that for whatever reason, they were on their own. They of course had friends and family to lean on and even some nice volunteers to help them spread the word. But in terms of actually getting help and answers to what happened to their son, someone being held accountable for his murder, that seemed to always be out of reach.

Ashley: Look, I didn't talk to the detectives that were responsible for this case. So, I don't know their side of it, but when I learned what happened to the main suspect in Chris's disappearance and murder… I couldn't help, but be horrified, confused and angry. 

Paul: Michael Bourquin, Um, we, we believe that he was the one he was, I mean, it was like five, six months after Chris went missing that we were getting reports of people on the street that knew Michael Borquin. And he was riddled in guilt. He confessed, he confessed to a lady and a couple of people and he was just riddled in guilt. They said he just was going crazy. And, uh, uh, so he tried to turn himself in and they didn't believe him.

Ashley: Michael Borquin, a 21 year old man from Roy, Washington became the prime suspect in Chris's murder. After someone came forward to say that Michael had bragged about killing Chris, allegedly, he told another man that he stabbed Chris twice and that he, or possibly other people moved Chris's body. At least once. Police eventually decided to bring Michael in for questioning. And this is around the same time that Chris's remains were found, two years after his disappearance, they issued a warrant for Michael's arrest, not for murder, but for other crimes he had allegedly committed and they were going to use the opportunity of bringing him in for those things to ask him about Chris. Unfortunately on February 1st, 2014, the night the police went to find Michael… they killed him. 

Paul: They were bringing them in on the two year mark and finally, they were, they're bringing them in. And the detective told me, he says, well, they weren't, uh, our officers weren't supposed to shoot him. Yeah, and they ended up shooting him point blank, seven round.

Ashley: according to the Borquin versus Pierce county summary judgment that I found online. Here's what happened: Michael Borquin was the passenger in a truck with two others. Police pulled the truck over and asked Michael to exit the vehicle. They claim he was acting as though he was concealing a weapon and they attempted to restrain him once he was out of the truck. At that point, Michael allegedly sprayed the arresting officers with bear spray. One of the officers then pulled his gun, opened fire on Michael, and shot him six times. The news of Michael Borquin's death was obviously terrible for several reasons. One being of course that the prime suspect in Chris's murder was now also dead, leaving the possibility of any justice for Chris, completely up in the air.

Ashley: And I know that justice is a tricky word. It can mean different things to different people. Our criminal justice system is incredibly flawed and that's why, but for me, it's just the idea of being able to take someone's life and no one ever having to answer for it, to explain why and to be held accountable. However, that may look. 

Melanie: What I believe is that Michael Borquin was dating Christopher's best friend who was a female. And I think he was a jealous boyfriend. I believe that him and his buddies were going to rob Chris that morning. 

Paul: I don't think it was that morning that they were going to rob him. It might've been premeditated to beat him up and robbing him for what he had, but, uh, nobody knew where he was that morning. And so he's out there on the street, standing at the bus stop and they came around the corner and I think that it just fell into their lap. Uh, having him right there. Not with all his friends and nobody around, you know, it just kind of, it might've been pre premeditated for what they were going to do to Chris, but, uh, I don't think it was planned for that morning. It just kind of, it just kind of happened, you know? 

Ashley: So Chris did know Michael somewhat?

Paul: Michael Borquin, yeah, cause he, he was, uh, his best friend's boyfriend and he had invited them up to the city on Friday and Friday night to go to a rave up there. Chris had VIP tickets and he offered to pay for their way and everything. They just needed to get up there. And, uh, her, yeah, her new boyfriend was pretty jealous of Chris and there was no way he was going to go. And he was arguing about it with his girlfriend and telling her not to go. And she told him, she told him that she was going with her with. Because Chris was her friend and, uh, he invited to the, both of them to go and he would pay their way. And, uh, yeah, it didn't happen. 

Ashley: Did you ever talk to Chris's friend about this? Like, did she think that her boyfriend could have done this?

Paul: Yeah. Melanie: Not at first, but then after a while. Yeah. 

Paul: Because I thought at first I thought it was, it was another boy. That was her girl that was her boyfriend. And I thought it was him. And the whole time I'm thinking to myself, you know, there's no way that kid doesn't seem like it's a type, you know, but then when we spoke to her, she had said that they broke up and she's got a new boyfriend now. And that's who Chris invited to go up to the rave up in Seattle. And, uh, she said that he, he, he refuses to go and he, he won't let me go, but I'm going anyway she said. 

Melanie: And, uh, and then after Chris was missing, every time that she had mentioned that she was going to come by and say hi to Chris's mom and dad, whenever he would get upset and, and start, you know, like verbally abusing her about not coming over our house, not coming to check in with us or to say hi, anything like that. And that's what made her start feeling like maybe he had something to do with it.

Ashley: After years of receiving tips and hearing rumors, Paul and Melanie have a pretty good idea of what they think happened to their son though. They may never know for sure who decided to kill Chris and why. It all seems so tragic and senseless to me. What could the motive have been? Was it robbery and it escalated or was it jealousy because Michael's girlfriend was friends with Chris? If Michael did in fact do this, or was it sheer boredom? I guess. I mean, this case has completely infuriated me, not just because of what happened to Chris Virdell, but how his parents were treated during the investigation or lack thereof in the fact that the prime suspect was murdered by police is just… unbelievable but obviously not uncommon. It's just been a mess. The only glimmer of hope in Chris's murder case is that witnesses have since come forward and claimed that at least three other people were present for Chris's murder. So even if Michael Borquin did do it, That means other people were there, they could have participated, they could've watched, they might know more than they're letting on. I don't know if these people have come forward. I don't know if they've been named, I don't know if the police have that information and that's where you come in. If you know anything about the murder of Christopher Virdell in Spanaway in 2012, Please call the Pierce county Sheriff's office at 2 5 3 7 9 8 7 5 3 0 or you can submit an anonymous tip to Crime stoppers at 2 5 3 5 9 1 5 9 5.

Ashley: Washed Away is a cosmic bigfoot production with music by i speak waves and Joe Presstone and artwork by Shane long. It’s hosted by me, Ashley Smith, I'm also the producer editor and everything else of this podcast. Meaning washed away is a one woman show. You can support my work by leaving a five star rating or review wherever you listen. And by sharing these episodes on social media, speaking of follow washed away on Twitter and Instagram at washed away pod, to see show notes and sources for each episode, visit washed away podcast.com and yes, you can send in case suggestions, email me washed away podcast@gmail.com. Thank you so much for listening, especially through the credits. I'll have another episode ready for you very soon.