Man who killed his mom held in more murders

By Megan Woolhouse, Globe Staff

A former Massachusetts man who served time for killing his mother with a carving knife in 1991 was arrested in Washington state Monday for allegedly killing a newlywed couple.

Daniel Tavares Jr. was arrested Monday on two counts of aggravated murder, according to on-line booking records at the Pierce County jail. Sheriff’s deputies booked him at the jail shortly after noon.

Tavares’ wife, Jennifer Lynn Tavares, 37, was jailed for investigation of rendering criminal assistance and making false statements, authorities said.

The victims were 30-year-old Brian Mauck and his 28-year-old wife, Beverly Mauck, who lived near Graham, Washington, not far from Tacoma. Officials from the sheriff’s office said the Tavares knew the victims -- and lived nearby -- but they did not say how. A motive also was unknown, officials said. Nothing was believed to have been stolen from the Mauck’s house.

A neighbor found the couple on Saturday, after noticing that a door to their home appeared to have been kicked in, The Seattle Times reported.

Komotv.com in Seattle reported that Tavares, 41, had moved to Washington after his release to marry a pen pal he had corresponded with while in prison.

In Massachusetts, Daniel Tavares had been convicted of manslaughter in the 1991 death of his mother, Ann Tavares, in their Somerset home. He also was charged with attempted murder for allegedly stabbing Richard Pires, a neighbor who intervened in the fatal argument between the mother and son.

Diane Wiffin, a spokeswoman for the Massachusetts Department of Correction, said Monday that Tavares was "released to a warrant" on June 14 from MCI-Cedar Junction in Walpole. Wiffin said Tavares had completed his sentence, and that a warrant had been filed in another jurisdiction at the time of Tavares’ release. She did not disclose where and refused to elaborate. It was unclear if he surrendered or was taken into custody elsewhere upon his release in June.

Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.

Megan Woolhouse can be reached at mwoolhouse@globe.com.

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