The FBI's Seattle Field Office has joined the Bellingham Police Department in the search for a man who fled Washington state before he could be sentenced on a violent felony domestic violence assault charge more than three years ago. Authorities are asking anyone with information on the whereabouts of Devariae Montrel Conley to come forward immediately.
What Happened and Why Conley Is Wanted
Conley was arrested on April 20, 2020, in Bellingham on a charge of violent felony assault with a domestic violence tag. The case worked its way through the courts in Whatcom County, but before Conley could be sentenced, he disappeared. On February 28, 2023, the Superior Court of the State of Washington for Whatcom County issued felony arrest warrants against him, including a charge of Failure to Appear. Those warrants remain active.
The case has now drawn the attention of federal law enforcement. The FBI's Seattle Field Office is actively assisting BPD in tracking down Conley, a step that typically signals investigators believe the subject may have crossed state lines or is otherwise difficult to locate through routine local law enforcement channels.
Domestic violence assault at the felony level in Washington state can involve serious physical harm to an intimate partner or family member. The combination of the original charge, the flight before sentencing, and the subsequent Failure to Appear warrant means Conley now faces compounding legal consequences if and when he is apprehended.
The Search Expands to Federal Partners
FBI involvement in a local fugitive case is not routine. When a local police department requests assistance from a federal field office, it generally means investigators have reason to believe the suspect is moving between jurisdictions or has gone to ground in a way that requires broader investigative resources. The Seattle Field Office covers the entire state of Washington and works closely with local departments on high-priority fugitive cases.
The Bellingham Police Department has been seeking Conley since the warrants were issued in early 2023. More than three years have passed without an arrest, making this one of the longer-running active fugitive cases tied to Bellingham. The public announcement of FBI involvement suggests investigators are escalating their efforts and hoping community tips will break the case open.
Whatcom County's Superior Court, which issued the original warrants, has jurisdiction over the Failure to Appear charge in addition to the underlying assault case. If convicted on all pending charges, Conley would face significant prison time under Washington state sentencing guidelines for violent felony offenses.
How to Submit a Tip
Authorities have set up multiple ways for the public to share information about Conley's location, and all tips can be submitted anonymously.
To contact the Bellingham Police Department directly, residents can call the BPD tip line at 360-778-8611 or submit information online through the City of Bellingham's online tip submission page. Tips submitted through the city portal are kept confidential.
To contact the FBI, residents can call the agency's national toll-free tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI, which is 1-800-225-5324. Tips can also be submitted online at tips.fbi.gov. The FBI accepts tips from anywhere in the country and internationally through American embassies and consulates, meaning that if Conley has left the United States, tips from abroad are also welcomed.
Authorities have not released a detailed physical description of Conley in the most recent announcement, but the original arrest and subsequent warrant paperwork remain on file with the Whatcom County Superior Court. Anyone who believes they may have seen Conley or knows of his current location is urged not to approach him and to contact law enforcement immediately.
What Happens Next
If Conley is located and taken into custody, he would be returned to Whatcom County to face the outstanding warrants. The Superior Court would then schedule hearings on the Failure to Appear charge as well as resuming proceedings on the original assault case. Prosecutors would likely seek a sentence that reflects both the underlying felony and the years spent as a fugitive.
The case is a reminder that Whatcom County courts and law enforcement maintain active warrants for defendants who fail to appear, and that the passage of time does not diminish the effort to bring those individuals back before the court. The addition of FBI resources signals that investigators are not treating this case as cold.
Anyone with information is asked to call BPD at 360-778-8611, submit a tip at cob.org/tips, or contact the FBI at 1-800-225-5324 or tips.fbi.gov. Background on the original warrant and the earlier phase of the search is available in earlier reporting on this case.
