Gold Bar man charged in ex-girlfriend's killing

A Gold Bar man with a violent criminal history killed his ex-girlfriend then burned the woman's remains in her car, according to charges filed Monday by Snohomish County prosecutors.

Eric Christensen, 40, was charged in Everett District Court with second-degree murder, according to the Snohomish County Prosecutor's Office.

In Snohomish County, serious criminal charges are often filed first in district court then refiled in Snohomish County Superior Court. Prosecutors have until Jan. 29 to refile the case in felony court.

While the Snohomish County Medical Examiner's Office has not formally identified the remains found inside Sherry Harlan's car as belonging to the missing woman, Senior Deputy Prosecutor Craig Matheson said he believes they are those of the Everett-area woman.

"Circumstantially, I'm comfortable that it is Ms. Harlan's body," Matheson said. "It will take a couple of days to get a positive ID."

Also on Monday, Snohomish County sheriff's detectives were investigating additional remains found near Harlan's car, Matheson said. Sheriff's spokeswoman Rebecca Hover declined to comment.

Matheson said he plans to meet with Harlan's family later this week to discuss the case.

Harlan, 35, was reported missing by a co-worker last Tuesday after she failed to show up for two shifts.

Detectives found a bloody footprint, human tissue and blood spattered throughout Harlan's apartment, as well as signs that someone had attempted to clean it up and remove evidence, according to court documents filed last week.

Her burned car and the remains were found at a gravel pit in eastern Snohomish County on Thursday.

Friends and neighbors told investigators Harlan wanted to break up with Christensen but was afraid because he had previously beaten her to a "bloody pulp," according to court documents.

When investigators served a search warrant on Christensen's home, they found a bloodstained pair of jeans and shoes that appeared to match the footprint in Harlan's apartment, court documents say.

Police and prosecutors say Christensen was covered with scratch marks and had an apparent stab wound on his leg.

Christensen, a Level 1 sex offender, has a long criminal history that includes rape, domestic violence, assault, forgery and theft.

Information from Seattle Times archives is included in this report.

Jennifer Sullivan: 206-464-8294 or jensullivan@seattletimes.com