Shivangi Sinha
In August 1986, 13-year-old Jennifer Bastian from Tacoma, Washington, was reported missing by her family after she left a note saying she was going for a bike ride but never returned. Her remains were discovered three weeks later, and it was determined that she had been strangled. For decades, the case remained unsolved until advancements in DNA technology finally led authorities to her killer, Robert Dwane Washburn. His arrest came as a shock to those who knew him, as he had no significant criminal history. NBC’s ‘Dateline: One Summer Day’ delves into the meticulous police work and the DNA evidence that ultimately brought Washburn to justice.
Robert Washburn Became a Suspect in Jennifer Bastian’s Murder Through DNA Evidence
Robert Dwane Washburn was born in the late 1950s and spent most of his childhood in Tacoma, Washington, where his father owned an auto body shop. He grew up in a relatively quiet and ordinary household. In 1977, he graduated from Wilson High School, and by 1979, he was married. However, the marriage ended in divorce in 1985 for reasons that have not been publicly disclosed. This was the same year when he was arrested on suspicion of vehicle prowling and criminal trespass, but no charges were brought against him. In 1990, he married again, this time to Cindy Stephens, and made a fresh start in his personal life. Around this period, Washburn was employed as a mechanic at Boeing and was also raising a daughter who reportedly had a physical disability.
By the late 1990s, Washburn had moved to Burlington, Washington, with his daughter. In 2000, he filed for bankruptcy, and by that time, it was believed that he and Cindy had separated. In the late 2000s, he relocated to Eureka, Illinois, where he rented a modest apartment and appeared to live a quiet and unsuspecting life. He was friendly with his neighbors, often engaging in casual conversations, and one neighbor’s daughter even visited his home to play with his own daughter. However, that seemingly normal life came to an end on May 24, 2018, when police arrived at his apartment and arrested him for the first-degree murder of 13-year-old Jennifer Bastian. The latter had vanished from her home in Tacoma, Washington, and her remains were discovered three weeks later.
The police had several pieces of evidence linking Washburn to Bastian’s murder. In May 1986, just weeks before the crime, he had contacted the police to report a suspicious man walking along Five Mile Drive in Point Defiance Park. This was the very area where her remains were later discovered. In 2015, investigators were able to extract a DNA profile from evidence found at the crime scene. This profile helped narrow the suspect pool down to three individuals, one of whom was Washburn. He had voluntarily provided a DNA sample, and when it came back as a match, authorities arrested him. Initially, he denied any involvement in the murder or knowledge of the crime.
Robert Washburn is in Prison Today
In January 2019, Robert Washburn pleaded guilty to the first-degree murder of 13-year-old Jennifer Bastian. As part of his plea, he provided a brief confession in which he admitted to grabbing Jennifer by the arm while she was riding her bike and then killing her. He did not offer further details about the crime, but autopsy reports indicated signs of sexual assault. In a written statement, he apologized to Jennifer’s family. He was sentenced to 27 years in prison. Now 67 years old, he is currently serving his sentence at Airway Heights Corrections Center in Airway Heights, Washington. Details regarding his eligibility for parole have not been made public.
Read More: Jennifer Bastian Murder Details and Investigation Timeline
