Tenino, WA – A tragic and chilling discovery has rocked a Washington community after an 82-year-old grandmother, Marcia Norman, who had been missing for over a week, was found dead, encased in concrete, and buried under a shed built by her handyman—who is also a convicted sex offender, authorities confirmed.
Norman’s makeshift grave was uncovered on April 10 by investigators from the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office, following an intense search and a growing list of suspicious clues surrounding her disappearance.
What Happened to Marcia Norman?
Marcia Norman was last seen on April 1, having dinner with 47-year-old Jeffrey Zizz, a handyman she had hired for work around her home in Tenino, Washington. When her family couldn’t reach her for several days, they reported her missing on April 4.
Police described the scene at her home as immediately suspicious — the dinner dishes were still in the sink, her vehicles were untouched, and there were no signs of her departure.
Lieutenant Mike Brooks of the sheriff’s office told Fox 13 Seattle:
“We spoke to [Zizz] a couple of times over the days, just trying to understand the interactions with her, the relationship, how often he’s known her, what he was doing at the house — that kind of stuff.”
A Suspicious Shed and a Horrific Find
Just one day after Norman was last seen, Zizz reportedly built a ramshackle shed on an unrelated property in Olympia, about 20 miles away. That same shed would later become the burial site for Norman’s body, found encased in concrete beneath the structure during a gruesome excavation by law enforcement.
Investigators believe the shed was hastily constructed to conceal the crime, and the circumstances surrounding its sudden appearance quickly raised red flags.
Zizz Flees to Montana, Arrested and Extradited
As law enforcement efforts intensified, Zizz fled Washington and was later located at a motel in Missoula, Montana. He was arrested on April 13 on a sentencing violation tied to a prior child molestation conviction and has since been extradited back to Washington, where he remains in custody at the Thurston County Jail without bail.
Though Zizz has not yet been formally charged with Norman’s murder, he is being treated as the primary person of interest in the case.
Ongoing Investigation
Authorities have obtained multiple search warrants and have already seized Zizz’s pickup truck. Investigators are continuing to process evidence as they build their case, with charges expected to follow pending further results from the forensic examination.
The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office has not yet revealed a motive, but family members and community members have expressed shock and grief, describing Norman as a kind and loving grandmother.
A Community Mourns
The case has horrified local residents, many of whom have been following the developments closely. Community members have begun leaving flowers and messages near Norman’s home and expressing outrage that someone with a history of child molestation could be involved in such a disturbing crime.