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DNA Links Suspect to 2021 Tacoma Murder Case
9 Sep
Summary
- A suspect was arrested years after the victim's body was found.
- DNA evidence connected the suspect to the victim and other assaults.
- The victim's struggles with homelessness and addiction are highlighted.
In a significant development concerning the 2021 murder of Kalyn "Penny" Smith, authorities have arrested Edwin Newlander, 59, who now faces a murder charge. Smith's body was discovered in October five years ago, south of I-5 in Tacoma. The initial investigation noted trauma to the victim but took 10 months for the medical examiner to determine a cause of death.
Investigators identified male DNA under Smith's fingernails. This evidence, uploaded to CODIS, eventually led to a breakthrough. In 2025, a woman who later died of an overdose reported a sexual assault by a man identified as "Ed," matching a description of Newlander's truck.
Further DNA analysis from a 2019 sexual assault case also linked to the same suspect. In June 2026, DNA collected from a cigarette Newlander dropped after being stopped in his truck showed a potential match to the DNA found under Smith's nails.
During an interview, Newlander admitted to knowing Smith and recalled details about her clothing, which matched the description of what she was wearing when her body was found. Smith, who was experiencing homelessness at the time of her death and had methamphetamine in her system, is remembered by friends for her free spirit.
