Lakewood Police Find 32 Pounds Of Heroin, Meth Inside Apartment Walls Of Shooting Victim

The Lakewood Police Department Criminal Investigations Unit has been working on the located at the 5300 block of San Francisco Avenue in Lakewood.

Detectives and investigators suspected that narcotics trafficking possibly played a role in what happened the night of the homicide. Lakewood investigators, along with assistance from the Thurston County Narcotics Task Force and the Tacoma DEA office, served a search warrant at the victim’s apartment where the homicide occurred. The search warrant was obtained after investigators received information that the deceased, Jaime Diaz and his surviving roommate Juan Hidalgo Mendoza, had possibly hidden a large quantity of narcotics in the walls before the homicide on Nov. 12, 2012.

Upon executing the warrant, investigators found approximately 32 pounds of heroin and 4 pounds of methamphetamine hidden inside the walls of the apartment. The drugs were hidden behind a wall heater in two different walls.  Based on the suspected purity level of the heroin and methamphetamine, investigators estimate the drugs to be worth approximately $500,000.  Detectives and Investigators will be talking with local and Federal prosecutors about charges against the surviving roommate for the drugs.

Lakewood detectives still need the public’s help in solving the homicide that occurred that night.  If anyone has information on this case, they are urged to call the Lakewood Police Department at 253-830-5000 or the Lakewood Tip Line at 253-830-5064.  Tips can also be submitted through the LPD website or Crimestoppers at 253-591-5959.  Crimestoppers offers a reward for tipsters that whose information leads to an arrest and charges filed.

-Lakewood Police Department