Puyallup Man Sentenced in Snoqualmie Pass Theft Case

A Puyallup man will spend a year in jail for stealing a truck from a Snoqualmie Pass condo after its owner died from a fentanyl overdose in 2022.

Tyler Erb Sentenced in Kittitas County Court

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According to the Ellensburg Daily Record, Judge Chris Herion sentenced 36-year-old Tyler Erb in Kittitas County Superior Court Thursday after pleading guilty to motor vehicle theft and second-degree promotion of prostitution. Prosecutors dropped a controlled substance homicide charge.

Case Stems From 2022 Fentanyl Overdose Death

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The case stems from the 2022 death of 45-year-old Tom Matthias Lee, who was found dead inside his Snoqualmie Pass condo after a 911 call reporting an unresponsive man who had smoked fentanyl.

Investigators Say Truck Was Taken After Victim Died

Investigators say Erb drove co-defendant Ashlee Rene Chastain to Snoqualmie Pass and subsequently stole Lee's pickup truck. Chastain, who was with Lee at the time, received a four-year prison sentence last year for second-degree manslaughter.

Family Describes Emotional Impact During Sentencing

During Thursday's sentencing, members of Lee's family described the lasting impact of his death on his children and loved ones. Lee was a veteran, former medic in Antarctica, and a registered nurse during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Judge Rejects Recommended Sentence

Judge Chris Herion rejected a recommended nine months in jail and instead sentenced Erb to 12 months, saying the theft showed "a profound failure of basic human decency."