Authorities have arrested a Van Buren County man in connection with the 1980 murder of a Washington woman following a renewed investigation into the decades-old case.
According to a release, on Tuesday, Aug. 20, deputies and investigators from the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office, along with members of the 20th Judicial District Drug Task Force, assisted detectives from the Kent Police Department in apprehending Kenneth Kundert, 65, a resident of Clinton, Ark.
Kundert (pictured) has been charged with the murder of Dorothy “Dottie” Marie Silzel, who was killed in Kent, Washington, more than 44 years ago. Kundert’s bail has been set at $3 million.
The case dates back to the evening of Feb. 23, 1980, when Silzel, 30, was last seen leaving her shift at a local pizza restaurant between 10 p.m. and 10:15 p.m. Concerned friends and family members requested a welfare check, leading to the discovery of her body in her condominium on the morning of Feb. 26, 1980. An autopsy determined Silzel’s death was a homicide.
According to the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office, detectives began researching potential suspects in September 2023, focusing on individuals who had since relocated to Van Buren County, Arkansas. This led them to Kundert, ultimately resulting in his arrest.
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Image: Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office
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