Vancouver police say they suspect that the December 2012 death of a local nurse from a drug overdose was a homicide.
No arrests have been made in connection with the death of Kendra Peck, 29, of Vancouver, and the case remains under investigation, said Vancouver police spokeswoman Kim Kapp.
Clark County prosecutors, in January 2013, filed charges accusing Ivan L. Pedersen, 34, of Longview of raping Peck either on the morning of her death or the night before while she was under the influence of drugs and alcohol. However, the second-degree rape charge was dismissed in April by Senior Deputy Prosecutor Camara Banfield because more investigation was needed to prosecute the case.
According to court documents, Pedersen said only he and Kendra Peck’s husband, Matthew Peck, were present at her home when she died. Pedersen said that Matthew Peck, who is his best friend, had invited him over to the couple’s home to party that night, according to court documents.
“This is an active homicide investigation, and detectives are also investigating the husband as part of the case,” Kapp said.
Kapp would not comment on whether Pedersen also is a suspect in the homicide, or whether there were other suspects. Neither man has been charged in connection with the homicide.
Vancouver police were called at 9:49 a.m. Dec. 27, 2012, to the residence in the 1500 block of Southeast Cutter Lane to investigate the death. That area is near the waterfront, just south of Pearson Field.
The Clark County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that the woman died accidentally from cocaine and alcohol intoxication. Her blood alcohol level was about 0.10 percent, according to court documents. However, police later determined, based on their investigation, that her death should be investigated as a homicide.
Pedersen, who then was a registered nurse at PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center in Longview, had his nursing license revoked in April.
Kendra Peck also was a registered nurse. She worked at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center in Vancouver.
Kapp said she has no timeline for when the investigation may be completed.
