UPDATE: Jarod T. Lane Waives Extradition

UPDATE 9:20 a.m. 5/29/12

KFOR-TV out of Oklahoma is reporting that 19-year-old Jarod Lane appeared before a judge this morning and decided to waive his extradition.

Lane's decision to waive extradition means that he has voluntarily chosen to return to Washington state, but does not indicated an admission of guilt. The Renton Police Department now has 10 days to collect him. If Lane had decided to go through extradition, the process could have taken at 30 days or more.

Lane is considered a "person of interest" in the murder of 17-year-old Jessica Scholl.

UPDATE 6 p.m. 5/28/12

Here is the full statement from Renton Police:

"At about 1330 hours on 5/28/12, Renton Police were notified by Oklahoma City OK Police of the arrest of Jarod Lane; Lane is suspected in last Friday’s murder of 17-year-old Jessica Scholl."

"A 2001 Mazda Protégé which Lane had been driving was found abandoned near Guthrie OK earlier in the day, and a television news crew enroute to cover that story saw Lane walking along the side of a road in Oklahoma City a few hours later. They recognized Lane from photographs released to their Seattle area affiliate station, and called 911, resulting in Lane’s arrest. Lane will be held in Oklahoma City while extradition is arranged."

"The victim’s family has asked us to forward the following statement to all of the media outlets who covered this story:

“We, as Jessica Scholl's family, would like to thank the Renton Police Department and numerous other law enforcement agencies for their diligence in searching for the person of interest.  Especially thank you to the Oklahoma City Police Department and News Channel 4's Adam Mertz and Mark Paris who helped to apprehend him."

"We would like to take this opportunity to stress the importance of healthy relationships, and encourage everyone to report known or suspected teen or domestic violence."

"Our family has appreciated the way the media has respected our wishes to grieve and remember Jessica in private.  We have no further comment at this time.”

UPDATE 5:47 p.m. 5/28/12

The following is a statement from the Scholl family:

“We, as Jessica Scholl's family, would like to thank the Renton Police Department and numerous other law enforcement agencies for their diligence in searching for the person of interest. Especially thank you to the Oklahoma City Police Department and News Channel 4's Adam Mertz and Mark Paris who helped to apprehend him.

We would like to take this opportunity to stress the importance of healthy relationships, and encourage everyone to report known or suspected teen or domestic violence.

Our family has appreciated the way the media has respected our wishes to grieve and remember Jessica in private. We have no further comment at this time.”

UPDATE 5:27 p.m. 5/28/12

Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Betsy Randolph provided additional information into how Jarod Lane was arrested earlier today.

An Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper driving their normal beat along Interstate 35 north of Guthrie, Oklahoma spotted a disabled vehicle in the southbound lanes of Interstate 35 around 8:30 a.m. Oklahoma time (6:30 a.m. Seattle time). The trooper noticed a sign inside that said "gone for gas", from there the trooper ran the license plate and it returned to Lane and that he was wanted in connection to a murder and arson.

"An air unit was used to search the area, but turned up nothing," Randolph said. Also at the same time Randolph posted on the OHP's Facebook page about Lane's abandoned vehicle in Logan County on I-35. Suspect
believed on foot in the Guthrie area at this time or possibly hitchhiking. Call 9-1-1 or *55 if you spot him."

Trooper Randolph was contacted by News Channel 4's Adam Mertz to do a story about the possibility of Lane being in Oklahoma. They were to meet at 3 p.m. (Oklahoma time), 1 p.m. (Seattle time). At 12:30 (Oklahoma time) Randolph received a phone call from the News Channel 4's newsdesk stating Mertz and photographer Mark Paris spotted Lane on a road near Interstate 35.

Since Lane was located within the city limits of Oklahoma, it was Oklahoma City Police who arrested Lane.

Renton Police are sending two officers to Oklahoma City. Its expected Lane will appear in court either Tuesday or Wednesday to begin extradition. If Lane waives his rights he could be back in Renton as earlier as Wednesday. If he appeals extradition could be delayed.

UPDATE 3:54 p.m. 5/28/12

News Channel 4 (KFOR) Reporter Adam Mertz and photographer Mark Paris are credited for finding Jarod Lane this afternoon. According to News Channel 4 website Mertz and Paris were out working on a story near I-35 and Wilshire when they thought they spotted 19-year-old Jarod Thomas Bierline Lane.

He was arrested a short time later, 19 minutes from downtown Oklahoma City and nearly 2,000 miles from where 17-year-old Jessica Scholl was murdered Friday.

Mertz's said in their evening news that he and Paris were on their way to Logan County for information on Lane's abandoned car (just north of Oklahoma City), when they spotted him and called authorities.

According to the Guthrie News in Guthrie, Oklahoma the car was found on Interstate 35 at mile marker 161 with a note inside "gone for gas."

According to Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Betsy Randolph its believed someone may have given Lane a ride down Interstate 35 to Wilshire not knowing who he was.

Patch will have more on this story as it becomes available.---

UPDATE: 2:09 p.m., 5/28/12

We just got this from Renton Police Det. Robert Onishi, who is reporting that authorities have captured Lane:

At 1330 hrs today, Renton Police were notified by Oklahoma City Police of the arrest of a man whom Oklahoma City Police believe to be Jarod Lane. Lane, suspect in Friday’s brutal murder of a 17-year-old Renton girl, was spotted in Oklahoma City this afternoon and arrested."

Patch will have more on this story as it becomes available. ---

Jarod T. Lane, the man wanted for questioning in the killing of Lindbergh High student Jessica Scholl, was reportedly spotted in Oklahoma on Sunday.

The Enid News reports that the 20-year-old was spotted at a Walgreens in Enid, OK: Sgt. Brian Hart said police were notified by Walgreens at Oakwood and Garriott that Jarod Thomas Bierline Lane of Renton, WA, had been in the store.

The man had left by the time store employees called. He was last seen traveling in an unknown direction, possibly driving a green 2001 Mazda Protege 4-door, with Washington tag WA 077YRD.

*** Renton Patch Editor Jenny Manning and Reporter Dave Nelson also contributed to these updates. ***