Authorities in Washington have arrested a man accused of murdering a woman in 2021 and hiding her body more than 200 miles away in a shallow grave, attempting to stage her death as a drug overdose by scattering used syringes over her remains.
James Daniel Lewis is now facing charges of second-degree murder, unlawful possession of a firearm, and unlawful disposal of human remains in connection with the death of 36-year-old Amanda Elaine Green. Green was reported missing in August 2021 by Tacoma police. A year later, investigators informed the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office that Green may have been killed in the Yelm area.
Although detectives had identified a person of interest early on, they lacked the key piece of evidence needed to move forward—Green’s body.
The case gained momentum again in March of this year. Last weekend, Lewis was arrested on an unrelated warrant. During an interview with investigators, he allegedly confessed to killing Green at his home in Yelm and later led detectives to a shallow grave in Lewis County near Mt. Rainier, where human remains believed to be Green’s were recovered.
Several witnesses came forward during the renewed investigation, some of whom had been on the property at the time of the murder or later heard Lewis confess. According to them, Lewis feared Green was trying to take over the property, which once belonged to his grandmother.
Initially, Lewis blamed another man for the shooting and claimed he had only helped dispose of the body under duress. However, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by Law&Crime, Lewis later admitted to being the shooter. He gave varying motives for the killing, including accusations that Green had stolen firearms, pointed a gun at him, and tried to take over his property.
One particularly bizarre claim Lewis made during his interrogation was that Green had once forced him to take a shower, which he described as humiliating. “If you know me, I don’t like taking showers,” he reportedly told detectives, suggesting this incident contributed to his motive. He later admitted he was simply “looking for any reason” to shoot her and described himself as “too jumpy.”
Police attempted to interview the man allegedly involved in helping bury Green’s body and scattering the syringes. However, they were unable to gather substantial information due to the man’s mental health issues. He has not been charged at this time.
Investigators believe Green was killed in late May 2021 after she rented a U-Haul and failed to return it.
Lewis is currently being held without bond at the Thurston County Jail. His next court appearance is scheduled for Tuesday.