Edwin Newlander charged with murder in 2021 Tacoma killing

Edwin Newlander, 59, has been charged in connection with the 2021 murder of Kalyn P. Smith in Tacoma, Washington. Smith’s body was discovered in a wooded area near McKinley Park on October 12, 2021, and the medical examiner determined she died from strangulation.

Investigators were able to link Newlander to the case through DNA evidence recovered from beneath the victim’s fingernails. This DNA matched a sample connected to Newlander following an investigation into a separate rape case in 2025.

Newlander faces charges including murder, rape, and kidnapping. During his recent court appearance, a plea of not guilty was entered on his behalf, and a bail amount of $1 million was set. Prosecutors noted that Newlander is considered a flight risk due to being unhoused. While he has been charged with the murder, he has not yet been charged in connection with two other alleged sexual assaults from 2019 and 2025.