Washington married couple discovered deceased in freezer; son and girlfriend found dead in home

A Family Tragedy in Pierce County

A quiet home south of Puyallup, Washington, became the scene of a harrowing discovery on New Year’s Eve when Pierce County deputies found four people dead inside, two of them stored in a garage freezer. The Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the deceased as William Vosler, 68; his wife, Eileen Vosler, 66; their son, Shane Vosler, 33; and Shane’s girlfriend, Sue Bin Lee, 34. Investigators believe the case was a murder-suicide, though significant questions remain unresolved.

How the Bodies Were Discovered

The deaths came to light only after repeated attempts to check on the household. According to a Pierce County search warrant, a neighbor first requested a welfare check on December 23, 2024, after noticing one of William Vosler’s vehicles being towed from the driveway. A deputy responded but left after a knock went unanswered, as there was no sign of forced entry or other evidence of foul play to justify entering. Additional welfare checks were requested on December 29 and December 30, but deputies still lacked the legal grounds to force their way in.

The situation changed on December 31, when two of the Voslers’ other sons forced entry by removing a second-floor air conditioning unit and climbing inside. One of them reported seeing Lee deceased in an upstairs room. Deputies then entered the home around 10:50 a.m. and, as one report noted, “smelled a distinct odor of body decomposition.” Inside, they found a woman dead on a bed in an upstairs room and a man dead in the master bathroom of the same floor, with a handgun lying next to the toilet. A further search located the remaining two victims. Notes found on a leaking freezer in the home read “Time of Death July 24th 5:45 a.m.” and “Time of Death July 24th 3:00 p.m.,” suggesting the parents’ deaths had occurred months earlier.

Causes of Death and Timeline

The Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that William Vosler died of a stab wound to the chest combined with blunt head trauma, and that Eileen Vosler died of multiple stab wounds to the chest and neck. Both of their deaths were ruled homicides. Shane Vosler died of a contact gunshot wound to the head, ruled a suicide. Sue Bin Lee also died of a contact gunshot wound to the head, but her manner of death was ruled undetermined.

According to Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman Carly Cappetto, Lee’s manner of death could not be settled because the angle of the bullet wound made it difficult to say whether the wound was self-inflicted or inflicted by someone else. Evidence indicated that Shane Vosler and Lee had lived in the home for roughly six months after William and Eileen Vosler were killed in July 2024, with the parents’ bodies kept in the garage freezer-refrigerator unit the entire time.

Motive and Unanswered Questions

The motive behind the killings has not been established. Investigators indicated that the evidence pointed to Shane Vosler as the suspect in his parents’ deaths, but key questions lingered—chief among them whether Lee took her own life or was killed. With all four people deceased, no charges could be brought, and the Sheriff’s Department continued to work to resolve the remaining forensic questions rather than quickly closing the matter.

Community Reaction

Neighbors expressed shock at the news, describing the area as quiet and family-oriented. Some recalled seeing Shane Vosler handing out candy to trick-or-treaters on Halloween—months after his parents were last seen alive. The contrast between that outward appearance of normalcy and what was later found inside the home left the community unsettled and searching for answers.

Reflection

The case is a sobering illustration of how a household can become isolated, and how long a tragedy can go undetected behind a seemingly ordinary front. The delayed discovery raises difficult questions about missed opportunities for intervention and the limits deputies face when they lack legal grounds to enter a home during a welfare check.

It also touches on the broader and painful subject of familicide—the killing of family members—which, while uncommon, has been closely studied by researchers who point to factors such as untreated mental illness, financial strain, and relationship breakdown. Understanding those warning signs is central to prevention and early intervention.

If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available. You can reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988, and the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 (or by texting “START” to 88788). This article is based on information from news reports, police statements, and public records.

Related Videos

• Bodies of mother and father found inside freezer in Pierce County home (KING 5 Seattle) — a news report on the identities and causes of death. Watch on YouTube
• Identities released for 4 found dead; 2 bodies discovered in freezer (KOMO News) — coverage of the victims and the timeline. Watch on YouTube
• Cause of death revealed for 4 found dead in WA home (FOX 13 Seattle) — a report on the medical examiner’s findings. Watch on YouTube