She Was Forced to Watch Her Own Grave Being Dug: The Murder of Rachel Burkheimer

On September 23, 2002, Rachel Burkheimer, 18, was murdered in Snohomish County, near Everett, Washington, and buried in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains. Photo courtesy of Komo News.

Rachel Burkheimer, 18, was murdered by those she trusted. Her family had reported her missing on September 27, 2002, in Snohomish County, near Everett, Washington. The day of her disappearance she had told her family she was driving a friend to the airport and never returned home.

Her body was found in early October 2002. Two men were quickly arrested, including Rachel’s boyfriend — more arrests would follow.

A Bright Light

Rachel was a beautiful young woman who was described as funny, giving, and a prankster. With a smile that could light up the room, she never forgot a birthday and randomly sent cards to her family and friends telling them she loved them. She was outgoing and made friends easily, even organizing a baby shower for a coworker she did not know well.

Rachel Burkheimer lived on the Tulalip Reservation in Snohomish County, near Everett, Washington. Photo courtesy of Seattle North Country.

She lived, worked, and went to high school on the 22,000 acres Tulalip Reservation in Snohomish County.

“She had so many social groups and such a big network, I couldn’t keep up,” her father Bill Burkheimer said. “I was just her answering machine.”