On 05-22-08 Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office received a request from the Stevens County Sheriff’s Office to locate missing subjects. Apparently the father of a 22 year old girl had called the Stevens County Sheriff’s Office to report his daughter missing. The father lived in Florida and had received word that his daughter had gone into the woods around the Mt. Bonaparte area, which is in Okanogan County.

Darning the course of the investigation Okanogan County Sgt. Gahimer learned that the 22 year old female was apparently with David W. Varnell, 44 of Addy Washington. He also learned that there was a Protection Order out against Varnell stating he was not to be around the 22 year old female, who had recently been in Addy Washington with him.

It appears that on May 02, 2008 Varnell, the 22 year old female and her two small children one 3months old and other 3 years old were dropped off in the area of Mt. Bonaparte. Varnell believed that the end of the world was coming on May 12, 2008 so he they were going to the woods to survive, taking a month supply of food, a rifle and 100 rounds of ammunition. Prior to leaving Addy they burned all of their identification and stated they would not be needing it in the future.

Over the next two days Sgt. Gahimer contacted several people in the Bonaparte area and had learned of a possible location on the four subjects and where they might possibly be. He had also learned that Varnell is a convicted felon and can not possess any type of firearm.

On 05-26-08 Sgt. Gahimer, Sgt. Mudgett and Detective Mike Murray had received information of a possibly location of the four subjects in the Bonaparte area. The three of them drove into the area in unmarked vehicles to attempt to locate the subjects. It was unknown what Varnell would do if he spotted uniformed officers. The Deputies began to check out various areas, basically posing as woodcutters looking for wood logs to cut.

At around 10:15 am they located the subjects at approximately Mile Post 14 on Forest Road 3230. The subjects were actually staying in a teepee they had set up approximately 30 yards off the roadway. Varnell actually walked down to the pick up and was talking to the Deputies about the wood to be cut in the area. At that time he was advised that they were members of the Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office and Varnell was placed under arrest for the Protection Order. Varnell was also arrested for Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Possession of a Dangerous Weapon and for two Spokane County Arrest Warrants.

Varnell was transported to the Okanogan County Jail and booked. The 22 year old female and the two small children were transported down to the support center. The female and the small children were in good shape and showed no signs of injuries.