November 5, 2014: This photo shows David Kalac as he was taken into custody by Wilsonville, Ore., police in connection with the alleged murder of his live-in girlfriend in Washington state. (Courtesy Wilsonville Police Department)
Police in Oregon have arrested a Washington state man suspected of killing his girlfriend and posting photos of the crime scene online.
KPTV reported that 33-year-old David Kalac was taken into custody at around 9 p.m. local time Wednesday in Wilsonville, about 20 miles southwest of Portland. According to investigators, a Wilsonville police officer was on his regular patrol near the city's transit center, when a man walked out from the bushes into an empty parking lot. Police said the man approached the officer and said, "I have a warrant."
Hours earlier, police found the car driven by Kalac when he led officers on a brief chase through Portland early Wednesday morning. Authorities did not say exactly where they found the gold 2001 Ford Focus, citing "investigative reasons". Kitsap County, Wash. sheriff's deputies said they intended to retrieve the car and obtain a search warrant for possible evidence. It was not immediately clear how Kalac made it to Wilsonville without the car.
The car belonged to Kalac's late girlfriend, Amanda Lynn Coplin. When police attempted to make a traffic stop, the driver sped away. Officers briefly pursued, but soon pulled back because the vehicle was swerving into oncoming traffic.
Kalac is suspected of second-degree murder in the death of Coplin, 30, according to court documents. Deputies have confirmed that gruesome photos posted on a website are of the victim and the Port Orchard crime scene, Kitsap County deputy Scott Wilson told the AP.
"He's our primary suspect," Wilson said Wednesday. "It stands to reason that in all likelihood he is the person who posted those photographs."
Kalac has a criminal history in Washington state and Virginia that includes convictions for assault, burglary and DUI, Wilson added.
Police say they found Coplin's body in a bedroom. Near her head was her driver's license with the word "dead" written on it. On the blinds were the words "bad news."
The documents say Coplin's 13-year-old son told police that his mother and Kalac argued loudly Monday night while he was inside his bedroom.
The teen told police he thought his mom was sleeping in and Kalac was gone when he left the apartment Tuesday morning, according to court documents. Later that day he became worried and called his dad for help. That's when Coplin's body was found.
A call to 911 reported that Coplin's face was bashed in, her car was missing and she was bloody and bruised.
Court documents also say that Kalac texted a friend, saying "You'll see me in the news ... There will be no more me. Ever. You'll read about it. That's all."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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