Authorities Arrest Suspect Joseph Lester; 9-Month-Old Baby Safe

A frantic six-hour search for a man suspected of stabbing a University Place woman to death and kidnapping their 9-month-old daughter ended early Tuesday.

Shortly after 12:30 a.m., the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office issued the following statement on its Twitter page: “Suspect In custody baby recovered more to follow.”

Police had been looking since Monday evening for the suspect, Joseph Lester, 23, whom they suspect stabbed his ex-girlfriend outside her home at 6018 57th Ave. W. in University Place.

According to Ed Troyer, spokesman for the Pierce County Sheriff's Office, Lester, accompanied by an attorney, turned himself into authorities at Good Samaritan Hospital in Puyallup.

After the victim's body was discovered, police issued an Amber Alert for the missing baby, but that alert was called off after Lester turned himself in.

By 2 a.m., authorities were taking Lester to the Pierce County Jail. He is scheduled to appear in Pierce County Superior Court on Wednesday and will face murder charges, Troyer said.

As for the baby, she was turned over to Child Protective Services after being cared for by Good Samaritan staff, many of whom were in costume for Halloween, Troyer said.

"She's smiling and happy," Troyer said.

Authorities found a 1992 dark blue Chevrolet Caprice with oversized rims that they believe Lester was driving in Tacoma shortly after 10 p.m., but the suspect and the girl were still missing.

Troyer said the victim and Lester were having an argument outside her duplex at 6018 57th Ave. W., before he stabbed her multiple times. Officials believe she ran into the house, where she died from her wounds.

Witnesses say they saw the two arguing and heard the victim screaming.

Troyer said they believe the 9-month-old baby and her 2-year-old son, from a previous relationship, were inside the home during the incident.

The victim was living with her children and her 70-year-old godmother, who came home and found her body.

"She was a great mom," said the victim's sister, Benika Gauthier. "She didn't deserve what she got tonight. This ain't the type of person that she is. This isn't in her character for something like this to happen to her."

"That might have been in his character," Gauthier added, referring to Lester.

Gauthier said she lived with the victim and Lester less than two months ago when the two were still together. However, she said he wasn't right for her sister.

"It wasn't right. She knew it wasn't right. He wasn't supposed to be here," she said.

Kathleen Gooden, the victim's aunt, told Patch that her niece's first name was Keisha, and that she was pregnant with another child. Patch hasn't confirmed with authorities whether the victim was pregnant.

A Patch user who said she attend Mount Tahoma High with the victim said the victim's name is Keisha Malone. The News Tribune is reporting the victim's name is Keisha M. Lewis.

Authorities believed Lester, who has a criminal history that includes robbery and assaults, was armed and considered dangerous. While they believe the two were no longer in a relationship before the incident, Troyer said there have been reports of domestic violence at the residence in the past.

Authorities' main goal was to make sure the baby was found safe.

"The subject has a history of domestic violence. We are looking for somebody that's verse in the criminal justice system," he said. "As we learned here in the past, if anybody tries to hide this guy or anybody renders any criminal assistance, we'll be knocking on your door as well."

Before they made the arrest, authorities warned that if anyone saw Lester, they should contact police immediately and not to go near him.

"Unfortunately, the suspect has connections all over the place so there's many directions, many places he could be going. And we're trying to cover those right now."

Shortly after midnight, the search came to an end. A baby girl who had lost her mother hours earlier was safe.

Patch will have more on this story as information arises.