While a former police officer awaits trial in connection to his fiancee’s death, Craig Wiech has a staunch supporter who might be a surprise to some.It’s been two years since Carrie Brown, 48, died of a gunshot wound to the head in the home she shared with Wiech. Wiech was a police officer for the Bellevue Police Department at the time. He told the 911 operator Brown shot herself. Her father, Mitchell Hansen, said he misses her laugh. “She was funny. We would sit on the back porch and I would be in stitches, but no more,” he said.Hansen said he still doesn’t know why his daughter died but vividly remembers something she said prior to her death.”That she’d never make 49,” he recalled. “So she knew something was gonna happen long before it happened.”What happened was a shooting in the couple’s home. Wiech called 911 and said Brown shot herself and also “I’m in so much trouble.””He knew he would be in trouble because he would have to come to me and explain to me why my daughter was dead,” Hansen said.Wiech now faces a tampering with evidence charge. Prosecutors are not calling Brown’s death a homicide or a suicide. Hansen believes Wiech.”He loved Carrie and has been in a strong state of depression ever since, and had Carrie known, she would have never done this,” Hansen said. “We will never know.”Hansen said Brown was first in an abusive marriage for 28 years. She then met Wiech at the Bellevue Police Department, where she worked as an evidence tech.”The first time she brought Craig over, she was beaming like a little kid at Christmastime,” he said. “You couldn’t get the smile off her face.””When you show those pictures of Craig on TV, Craig looks like a thug, and Craig is not. If you knew Craig, you would like him.”Brown’s friends and family are calling for justice, saying Brown did not die by suicide. They started a campaign, Justice for Carrie.”I do not believe this was suicide,” said best friend Connie Harbin.Court documents show Wiech moved her body from the bed to the floor. Wiech’s handgun was covered with blood, while her hand, resting on the gun, did not have blood on it, nor did the carpet surrounding the gun.Investigators said they found Brown’s blood throughout the home, along with Wiech’s wet clothes in the washing machine. Hansen says Wiech’s actions are explainable. He said Wiech tried to give Brown CPR.”Did he move her body to the floor? probably. What would you do if you came home and found your loved one in a puddle of blood?”Hansen said his daughter suffered from chronic nerve pain and was having family problems. He said she tended to act spontaneously.”Carrie’s last words were, ‘f— all of you,’ and the next thing she was dead.”Wiech resigned from the police force in February 2019. Brown’s father keeps Wiech’s police badge next to a framed photo of the couple.Memories of his daughter, when he says she was the happiest.Wiech’s trial has yet to be scheduled.
While a former police officer awaits trial in connection to his fiancee’s death, Craig Wiech has a staunch supporter who might be a surprise to some.
It’s been two years since Carrie Brown, 48, died of a gunshot wound to the head in the home she shared with Wiech. Wiech was a police officer for the Bellevue Police Department at the time. He told the 911 operator Brown shot herself.
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Her father, Mitchell Hansen, said he misses her laugh.
“She was funny. We would sit on the back porch and I would be in stitches, but no more,” he said.
Hansen said he still doesn’t know why his daughter died but vividly remembers something she said prior to her death.
“That she’d never make 49,” he recalled. “So she knew something was gonna happen long before it happened.”
What happened was a shooting in the couple’s home. Wiech called 911 and said Brown shot herself and also “I’m in so much trouble.”
“He knew he would be in trouble because he would have to come to me and explain to me why my daughter was dead,” Hansen said.
Wiech now faces a tampering with evidence charge. Prosecutors are not calling Brown’s death a homicide or a suicide. Hansen believes Wiech.
“He loved Carrie and has been in a strong state of depression ever since, and had Carrie known, she would have never done this,” Hansen said. “We will never know.”
Hansen said Brown was first in an abusive marriage for 28 years. She then met Wiech at the Bellevue Police Department, where she worked as an evidence tech.
“The first time she brought Craig over, she was beaming like a little kid at Christmastime,” he said. “You couldn’t get the smile off her face.”
“When you show those pictures of Craig on TV, Craig looks like a thug, and Craig is not. If you knew Craig, you would like him.”
Brown’s friends and family are calling for justice, saying Brown did not die by suicide.
They started a campaign, Justice for Carrie.
“I do not believe this was suicide,” said best friend Connie Harbin.
Court documents show Wiech moved her body from the bed to the floor. Wiech’s handgun was covered with blood, while her hand, resting on the gun, did not have blood on it, nor did the carpet surrounding the gun.
Investigators said they found Brown’s blood throughout the home, along with Wiech’s wet clothes in the washing machine.
Hansen says Wiech’s actions are explainable. He said Wiech tried to give Brown CPR.
“Did he move her body to the floor? probably. What would you do if you came home and found your loved one in a puddle of blood?”
Hansen said his daughter suffered from chronic nerve pain and was having family problems. He said she tended to act spontaneously.
“Carrie’s last words were, ‘f— all of you,’ and the next thing she was dead.”
Wiech resigned from the police force in February 2019. Brown’s father keeps Wiech’s police badge next to a framed photo of the couple.
Memories of his daughter, when he says she was the happiest.
Wiech’s trial has yet to be scheduled.
