Montana man to be extradited to Wash. on murder charge

A western Montana man is no longer fighting his extradition to Washington state, where he faces a murder charge in the 1996 death of a female co-worker.

The Ravalli Republic reports (http://bit.ly/WdqDOC) defense attorney Ronald Piper told District Judge James Haynes that 59-year-old Clifford Everell Reed of Victor would end his extradition fight. A transport date hasn't been set.

Reed was arrested Dec. 3 on second-degree murder charges in the death of Sandi Johnson of Kirkland, Wash. Her remains were found along a Washington state highway in August 2004.

Reed was questioned after Johnson disappeared. An affidavit filed in King County, Wash., did not indicate what new evidence had been discovered to reopen the case.

Ravalli County Undersheriff Perry Johnson has said the department worked with King County investigators for several years.

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Information from: Ravalli Republic, http://www.ravallirepublic.com

The Associated Press