MARYSVILLE—On July 26, 2025, the Marysville Police Department announced the arrests of two suspects in connection with the March 31, 2025, stabbing death of 66-year-old Gheorghe Sandru, describing the incident as a premeditated armed robbery that led to homicide charges against both individuals.
Marysville Police Officers responded to a 911 call at approximately 6:16 a.m. on March 31, 2025, for a man down in the 1200 block of 2nd Street in Marysville.
“Police and Fire arrived and provided lifesaving measures, but the victim, later identified as Gheorghe Sandru, had sustained a fatal stab wound to his chest and died on scene,” the Marysville Police stated in its release.
Sandru was found unconscious and not breathing by a neighbor, who initiated CPR before officers arrived and observed the stab wound.
Investigators utilized local security footage to identify a vehicle in which the suspect fled as a passenger, prompting an alert to surrounding agencies. Hours later, the Violent Offenders Task Force (VOTF) located the vehicle and its owner, Andrew Elliott, who was detained and questioned but released due to insufficient immediate evidence linking him to the homicide. His vehicle was seized as evidence.
Over the following months, detectives gathered evidence, interviewed witnesses, and collected security footage from Marysville, Tulalip, and Everett.
“Numerous search warrants were authorized throughout the investigation to search involved vehicles, cell phones, call detail records, phone numbers, social media, and to examine the potential murder weapon,” the release noted.
The Washington State Patrol Crime Lab analyzed physical evidence, including DNA swabs and latent fingerprints, which “further contributed to identifying Elliott and a Keith Stuard as involved in the premeditated armed robbery of Sandru and his homicide.”
On July 2, 2025, Stuard was arrested and booked into jail for First-Degree Murder (RCW 9A.32.030) and Second-Degree Murder (RCW 9A.32.050). The arrest involved the Marysville Police Pro-Act Unit and Everett Police Anti-Crime Team, with bail set at $2 million the following day by Snohomish County District Court.
Elliott was arrested on July 25, 2025, by the Marysville Police Pro-Act Unit based on VOTF information, and booked on the same murder charges.
Both suspects remain in custody at Snohomish County Jail, with the case set for arraignment on Monday, July 28, at Snohomish County Superior Court.
Initial response efforts included deploying a police K-9 and drone to search for suspects, and investigators stated they believed the incident was isolated with no immediate public threat.
This is an active and ongoing investigation. Anyone with information is encouraged to reach out to lead Detective Nate Adams at (360) 363-8300 or directly via email at nadams@marysvillewa.gov.Â
This incident remains as the only homicide to occur in the City of Marysville so far for 2025.Â
Author: Mario Lotmore
