Missing Washington state woman's remains found under shed; handyman person of interest

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A Washington state handyman and convicted child molester is in jail after being named a person of interest in the disappearance of a woman whose remains were found under a shed local authorities say he built.

Jeffrey Zizz, 47, was arrested in connection with previous unrelated charges, but authorities say he's "the primary person of interest" concerning the disappearance of Marcia Norman, 82, who was last heard from around 6:30 p.m. on April 1, according to the Thurston County Sheriff's Office.

Norman disappeared “under suspicious circumstances” from her home in Tenino, just over 15 miles south of Olympia, the sheriff’s office said.

After Norman disappeared, Zizz borrowed a friend's vehicle and left the area. Zizz was arrested in Missoula, Montana, over 500 miles away from Norman’s home, on an unrelated warrant, the sheriff’s office said. On April 13, Thurston County officials extradited him from Montana back to Washington state.

He is being held in the Thurston County Jail without bail for a child molestation sentencing violation, the sheriff's office said.

It is unclear who is currently representing Zizz, but Paste BN contacted a defense attorney previously listed for him in court records and has not received a response.

Woman disappears after dinner with handyman; police ask questions

Thurston County officials first posted about Norman's disappearance on April 5. 

According to the sheriff’s office, she was last heard from on April 1. Both of her vehicles were still parked at her home, even though family members hadn’t been able to reach her, the sheriff’s office said.

When deputies entered Norman's home to investigate her disappearance, it looked like she left in a hurry, and “household tasks such as dishes appeared to have been left mid-process," the sheriff’s office said. Detectives were brought in to investigate, the department added.

Investigators learned that on April 1, Norman had dinner with her handyman, Zizz. Investigators contacted him during the investigation because he is believed to be the last person to have seen her alive, the sheriff's office said.

While detectives spoke to Zizz multiple times and took multiple "items of interest," there was no probable cause to arrest him in connection with Norman's disappearance, the department said.

Investigators later found out Zizz was no longer in the area, and he was eventually arrested in Missoula on an unrelated warrant.

Handyman allegedly built shed the day Norman was reported missing; investigation underway

According to authorities, Zizz allegedly built a shed on April 5, the day after Norman was reported missing. Just four days later, on April 9, detectives secured a warrant to move the shed and excavate the ground beneath it. They found human remains partially encased in concrete, and the remains were confirmed to be Norman's. Authorities have seized Zizz's vehicle, and the investigation is ongoing, they said. 

Zizz pleaded guilty to child molestation charges in 2021

Zizz previously pleaded guilty to molesting three children, who were all under the age of 15, in October 2021, according to court documents obtained by Paste BN.

Zizz pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree child molestation and communication with a minor for immoral purposes, according to court documents filed on Aug. 30, 2022.

Zizz was prohibited from owning a firearm or going near his victims until October 2032. He was sentenced to nearly nine years in jail but was released after 11 months due to him receiving credit for time served, court records show. He was also ordered to serve six years of community custody, or supervised release and rehabilitation.

This story has been updated to remove details around the child molestation charges against Zizz.

Saleen Martin is a reporter on Paste BN's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Email her at sdmartin@usatoday.com.