Elderly Washington State Woman Found Encased in Concrete: Handyman Responsible, Police Allege

Content warning: This article mentions child sexual abuse. Please take care while reading.

Washington State detectives discovered 82-year-old Marcia Norman’s remains who had been reported missing buried under a newly constructed shed in Olympia on April 9, partially encased in concrete. Days later, police arrested a handyman, Jeffrey Zizz, and declared Zizz a person of interest in the case.

In a press release, the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office explained Norman’s family, from Tenino, Washington, reported her missing on April 4, 2025. Her family had not heard from her since the evening of April 1. Investigators reported Norman’s vehicles were parked at her home, and signs indicated she had left abruptly.

Police discovered Norman’s body five days later

A tragic ending to the search for a missing elderly woman in Thurston County. Authorities found the body of Marcia Norman buried under a shed in Olympia. Why her handyman is considered a person of interest: https://t.co/b5mn30Mh0v @komonews pic.twitter.com/bmKZsLES4N

— Jackie Kent (@JackieKentNews) April 16, 2025

​On April 9, detectives discovered Norman’s remains buried under a newly constructed shed in Olympia, partially encased in concrete. Zizz built the shed the day after Norman was reported missing. 

Authorities confirmed the remains were Norman’s on April 10. Investigators identified her handyman, 47-year-old Zizz, as a person of interest, noting he had dinner with Norman on April 1 and was believed to be the last person to see her alive. 

Zizz, a convicted sex offender fled the state during the investigation, violating his probation terms. Police arrested Zizz in Missoula, Montana, on a warrant for a probation violation related to his previous convictions.

Authorities extradited Zizz to Washington on April 13. He is currently in Thurston County Jail on a no-bail hold for his probation violation. He remains a person of interest as the investigation continues.

According to Washington Police Lieutenant Mike Brooks, Zizz admitted he had dinner with Norman. “He’s a good family friend, so it doesn’t necessarily seem like having dinner together would be uncommon,” Brooks said.

Zizz’s previous criminal record

DEVELOPING: Body of missing Thurston County woman found ‘encased in concrete’ under shed in Olympia.

Detectives identified Marcia Norman’s handyman, Jeffrey Zizz, as a person of interest after learning he had dinner with her on April 1st. @JackieKentNews reports.#KOMONews pic.twitter.com/J6zbcEMnQA

— Holly Menino (@hollymenino) April 16, 2025

According to Washington news outlet The Olympian, in 2021, a man ​Jeffrey Kian Zizz, who at that time was a a pastor from Lacey, Washington, with multiple serious sexual offenses involving his own children. 

According to court documents, he turned himself in to the police confessing to “sexual misconduct” in his home. Investigators charged Zizz with nine counts, including first-degree rape of a child, first-degree incest, and multiple counts of child molestation and attempted rape. 

At the time of his arrest, a pretrial screening indicated he had no prior criminal convictions. Zizz was a pastor at Calvary Chapel North Thurston in Lacey. He was no longer affiliated with the church following the allegations.

We have not officially confirmed Jeffrey Kian Zizz and Jeffrey Zizz named as a person of interest in Norman’s death are the same person.

Norman’s family remembers her as a loving and thoughtful person. Her niece, Traci Kistenmacher, shared that Norman “loved to smile” and was always looking out for those she loved. “She would hug you and she would tell you, ‘Everything was going to be okay,’” Kistenmacher told Seattle’s KIRO 7.

If you know someone suffering from sexual violence, contact RAINN or the National Sexual Abuse Telephone Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.