Murder Warrant Issued for Woman Found Floating in Columbia

Formal murder charges and an arrest warrant have been issued for the suspect in the murder of a Kennewick woman.

  Suspect soon to be extradited from Oregon to Benton County

On September 27th, 2022, a fisherman found what appeared to be the floating remains of a body in the Columbia River, just east of the Cable Bridge near the shoreline.  After an investigation, the body was found to be that of 34-year-old Brandy Ibanez of Kennewick.

 A suspect, 34-year-old Richard Michael Jacobsen, was arrested in Oregon and is currently in the Multnomah County jail.

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Now, formal murder charges have been filed against him. Late Thursday, Kennewick Police released a statement indicating 2nd Degree Murder charges are facing Jacobsen when he returns to Benton County, he is expected to be extradited to Benton County shortly.

He is being held without bail. Kennewick Police have not specified the evidence they found in her apartment in Kennewick that apparently linked Jacobsen to the crime.

Their specific relationship has not yet been revealed by investigators, but more information is expected when he is back in Benton County. KPD has said the two knew each other.