Kitsap County rape suspect found dead in Los Angeles years later
Stock photo of a police light. Getty Images
LOS ANGELES - A man wanted for child rape in Kitsap County back in 2008 was just recently discovered dead in Los Angeles. The suspect wasn't just on the run: he was presumed dead, the Bremerton Police Department confirmed.
According to a Kitsap Sun story published on March 28, 2009, a man named Christian Robert Basham was believed to have jumped off the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. His car was found nearby with a suicide note inside.
Basham was accused of raping a boy in 2008. He was arrested but posted bail. He was out on bail and missed his next court appearance around the time he allegedly jumped.
However, Basham was actually living in Los Angeles under the name Mark Clemens since he "disappeared" off the Narrows Bridge.
In February 2024, "Clemens" was found dead in his apartment.
The Kitsap Sun first reported the story.
The Los Angeles County medical examiner identified him as Christian Basham. Bremerton Police confirmed that the man found dead was the same man who was presumed dead from the jump off the Narrows.