Ingrid Maree Lyne (née Rounsaville) was born on August 2, 1975. A 1993 graduate of Canyon del Oro High School in Tucson, Arizona, she earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Arizona in 1997. Lyne moved to Washington state in 2000 and lived there for about 13 years. Her divorce was finalized in 2014, and at the time of her death she was a nurse at Seattle's Swedish Medical Center and lived in Renton, Washington. Lyne met John Charlton through an online dating website, and the two had been dating for approximately one month when they attended a Seattle Mariners baseball game together on the evening of April 8, 2016 — later identified as the date of her death.
Lyne was last seen by friends on April 8, 2016, and was reported missing the following day. On April 9, her ex-husband arrived at her home to drop off their children; when no one answered, he called Lyne's mother, who let herself in with a key. Lyne's wallet, purse, and cellphone were found inside, but Lyne was not. Using the phone, her mother texted Charlton and then called police, who found blood, human tissue, and a pruning saw in Lyne's bathroom, along with trash bags identical to those later found containing her dismembered remains. Responding separately that day to a call from a homeowner, police also recovered several of Lyne's dismembered body parts — including a severed head, foot, arm, and leg — from a Seattle recycling bin approximately 10 miles (16 km) from her home. The King County coroner's office attributed her death to "homicidal violence." On April 15, a garbage collector found more severed body parts at a different location, though those remains had not been confirmed as a match to Lyne; on April 18, additional body parts were found at a third Seattle-area location and likewise awaited identification.
At the time of his arrest, Charlton was a homeless day laborer with a criminal record in six states, including convictions for aggravated robbery, felony theft, grand theft auto, assault, and third-degree larceny. Identified as the primary suspect in Lyne's death, he was arrested on April 11, 2016, and, two days later, formally charged with first-degree murder and auto theft; he was held in the King County Jail on $5 million bail. After his arrest, Charlton said he had blacked out on a downtown Seattle sidewalk and woke up with facial injuries and cuts to his body. On October 2, 2017, he appeared in a King County courtroom and pleaded guilty to all charges against him, including the murder and dismemberment of Lyne. On January 5, 2018, Charlton was sentenced to 27 years and 9 months in prison, the punishment recommended by prosecutors.
A GoFundMe fundraising campaign for Lyne's three daughters raised over $270,000 in the aftermath of her death. Her killing also prompted broader public discussion about the safety of meeting partners through online dating websites.
Lyne moves to Washington state, where she goes on to live for about 13 years.
2014
Lyne's divorce is finalized.
2016-04-08
Lyne, who has been dating John Charlton for about a month after meeting him online, is last seen by friends and attends a Seattle Mariners game with him that evening; this date is later identified as the date of her death.
2016-04-09
Lyne is reported missing; her ex-husband finds no answer at her home, and her mother lets herself in and finds Lyne's wallet, purse, and phone inside but not Lyne, then alerts police.
2016-04-09
Police searching Lyne's home find blood, human tissue, and a pruning saw in the bathroom, along with trash bags identical to those later found containing her dismembered remains.
2016-04-09
Responding to a separate call from a homeowner, police recover several of Lyne's dismembered body parts — including a severed head, foot, arm, and leg — from a Seattle recycling bin about 10 miles (16 km) from her home; the King County coroner's office attributes her death to "homicidal violence."
2016-04-11
Charlton, identified as the primary suspect in Lyne's death, is arrested.
2016-04-13
Two days after his arrest, Charlton is formally charged with first-degree murder and auto theft, and is held in the King County Jail on $5 million bail.
2016-04-15
A garbage collector finds more severed body parts at a different location; the remains have not been confirmed as a match to Lyne.
2016-04-18
Additional body parts are found at a third Seattle-area location and await identification.
2017-10-02
Charlton pleads guilty in a King County courtroom to all charges against him, including the murder and dismemberment of Lyne.
2018-01-05
Charlton is sentenced to 27 years and 9 months in prison, the punishment recommended by prosecutors.
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Coffeehouse Crime / 26 min
The Homeless Catfish That Became a Killer... | The Case of Ingrid Lyne
People
Ingrid Lyne
VICTIM
American nurse from Renton, Washington, killed April 8, 2016.
John Robert Charlton
CONVICTED
Arrested April 11, 2016, and charged with first-degree murder and auto theft in the killing and dismemberment of Ingrid Lyne; pleaded guilty on October 2, 2017, and was sentenced to 27 years and 9 months in prison.
Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.
Ingrid Lyne, a nurse from Renton, Washington, was killed and dismembered in April 2016 by John Charlton, a man she had been dating for about a month after meeting him online; he later pleaded guilty and was sentenced to prison.
Where did the murder happen?
Seattle, Washington.
Who was convicted?
John Robert Charlton (Arrested April 11, 2016, and charged with first-degree murder and auto theft in the killing and dismemberment of Ingrid Lyne; pleaded guilty on October 2, 2017, and was sentenced to 27 years and 9 months in prison.).
