2 WA men charged with murder in filmed torture

TACOMA, Wash. (AP) — Two Washington men have been charged with aggravated first-degree murder in what Pierce County prosecutors say was the 19-minute videotaped torture of a man.

Lakewood police arrested 25-year-old Michael E. Crosman on Wednesday night and he was arraigned Thursday. Crosman is held on $5 million bail.

The News Tribune says a warrant has been issued for the arrest of 30-year-old Maalo Samaota.

Prosecutors allege Crosman videotaped a young man who’d been bound and gagged with duct tape and was tortured with a knife. Court documents allege that Samaota is the attacker on the video.

According to court papers, Crosman told detectives the victim had stolen a vehicle that contained drugs and the attack was payback. A disc showing the attack was dropped off in February at the Spokane Police Department.

Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist says detectives believe human remains found March 10 near Harts Lake in Pierce County are those of the still-unidentified victim.

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Information from: The News Tribune, http://www.thenewstribune.com