Update: Police looking for killer after stabbing in Fauntleroy

(This story will stay atop the home page TFN – please scroll beneath it for other, newer stories. Latest update, 5:24 pm, working to find out whether a suspect booked into jail for investigation of homicde is linked to this case)

(Police car in Endolyne business district, as part of search/containment following nearby stabbing)
12:20 AM: Police are on the way – and you may hear a helicopter soon too – to a reported stabbing in the 9300 block of 44th SW (map).

12:28 AM UPDATE: We have a crew on the way. What we’ve heard from scanner so far: Victim is a man about 60 years old. Multiple stab wounds, CPR under way.

(Photos and video added from here, all by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
12:57 AM UPDATE: Search continues, with K-9, but no suspect found so far. WSB’s Christopher Boffoli is there; he’s been told the victim is believed to be around 65. Scanner indicates no suspect description available so far but the suspect “may be injured.” (If you think you see or hear anything or anyone suspicious anywhere near there, call 911 immediately.)

1:16 AM UPDATE: SeattleCrime.com cites Seattle Fire sources as saying the victim has died. We can tell you that the aid unit in which he was getting CPR never left for the hospital – then, a few minutes ago, left without lights/sirens.

1:35 AM UPDATE: Media have been allowed to leave their vehicles. A briefing is expected shortly. We’ll have details as soon as they’re available.

(iPhone video added – briefing, unedited)
2:02 AM UPDATE: Here’s what Christopher says the media was told: SPD Captain Greg Schmidt briefed reporters, confirming that the victim, in his early 60s, is dead. The 911 call came from the victim’s wife, who was in another room of the house and heard her husband talking with someone, then arguing; when she went out, she found her husband stabbed, apparently in the chest, though SPD cannot confirm number of wounds. The man could not give police any information about the attacker; the wife didn’t see him and didn’t recognize the voice, but it’s believed he was “known” to the victim. This is West Seattle’s first homicide in almost five months; the previous ones were on two successive days, September 22nd and 23rd of last year – first the man killed in Roxhill Park, then the quadruple murder-suicide shootings in southeastern West Seattle.

5:31 AM UPDATE: Still no arrest reported.

8:35 AM UPDATE: Same status; police have posted a short item on SPD Blotter, without new details, except that it mentions a single stab wound to the chest, and asks that anyone with information on the case contact them. Photos added above and below – crime tape across the front of the property, and unmarked (except for the letters/numbers in the back window) Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) vans on the street.

12:23 PM UPDATE: We’ve just checked with the King County Medical Examiner’s Office, and they have NOT yet released the victim’s identity. If they DO confirm it – which doesn’t appear to have happened yet, according to the person with whom we spoke – and finish required notifications, the public announcement would likely be late this afternoon.

1:32 PM UPDATE: Just talked to Det. Mark Jamieson from the SPD Media Unit to ask if anyone’s been arrested or is being questioned. “Nobody in custody,” he replies, and no other news to report as “very active” investigation continues.

5:23 PM UPDATE: The King County Jail Register lists a suspect as having been booked into jail this afternoon just before 3 pm for investigation of homicide. We are working to confirm whether this is indeed a suspect in the Fauntleroy case.

45 Replies to "Update: Police looking for killer after stabbing in Fauntleroy"

  • dominic February 16, 2011 (1:02 am)

    crazy, they are outside of my place on fauntleroy now, I tried to go outside they made me go back in my house, roads blocked off by the ferry

  • SS February 16, 2011 (1:07 am)

    Was this a robbery attempt or a domestic?

  • SS February 16, 2011 (1:14 am)

    Police car just left post at Marine View Drive and 46th. Ave SW

  • SS February 16, 2011 (1:18 am)

    Can we get an update?

  • Westside J. February 16, 2011 (1:19 am)

    Were they at Endolyne Joes or something? Seems like a random place for this, although I’m not sure what that means..

    • WSB February 16, 2011 (1:43 am)

      Westside J, while we do not use exact addresses, there is an exact address, a residence, to which units were initially called.

  • SS February 16, 2011 (1:34 am)

    Updates?

  • SS February 16, 2011 (1:39 am)

    Search for assailant still underway?

    • WSB February 16, 2011 (1:41 am)

      Yes, we’re updating. For some reason our first two updates didn’t show, and we’ve fixed that. Christopher is there, I’m monitoring scanner and other infostreams from the desk, adding info whenever we get it … briefing at scene expected any minute – TR

  • Westside J. February 16, 2011 (2:21 am)

    That’s horrible. I feel for the wife & family. I hope they catch him

  • cclarue February 16, 2011 (8:05 am)

    How awful. At least the woman did not get hurt and or killed as well.

  • Westside D February 16, 2011 (8:52 am)

    Likely unrelated but:
    I saw, for the first time ever, someone climb out of the ravine at Kilbourne Park at 7:35am.
    It startled me because you really need ropes to get down to the stream. He was a white male, about 20, black hair wearing a white t-shirt (no jacket) and his clothes were extremely dirty from the climb.

    • WSB February 16, 2011 (9:15 am)

      Westside D, I would call police to report that if I were you …

  • Amanda February 16, 2011 (8:55 am)

    Oh my goodness. What a terrible thing! I hope they find the person soon, that is really scary.

  • Wednesday February 16, 2011 (9:03 am)

    Terrible news. I wonder if they found the knife?

    • WSB February 16, 2011 (9:14 am)

      Not as of the media briefing.

  • LR February 16, 2011 (9:22 am)

    Wow, hope the person turns them selfs in this is terrible .

  • Nulu February 16, 2011 (9:25 am)

    “Media have been allowed to leave their vehicles.” – WSB

    What?
    Has martial law been declared?
    I have been out of the news business for a while, but I cannot ever recall not being allowed to leave a vehicle as a member of the press.
    I hope this is not true as it is most likely illegal.
    I hope that the media (WSB) challenges any such restraints on their ability to gather news.

  • Jeff February 16, 2011 (9:27 am)

    Westside D – I agree with WSB. It could be nothing, it could be something, but the police should know.

  • neighbor February 16, 2011 (9:29 am)

    Westside D – To also strongly suggest as WSB stated, PLEASE CALL POLICE with that description.

  • Ms F February 16, 2011 (9:34 am)

    Horrible story. I’m so sorry for the victim’s wife. From a selfish viewpoint, I’m considering buying a house in that immediate neighborhood. Is this generally a safe area?

  • 35this35mph February 16, 2011 (9:41 am)

    Hey Westside D I saw that same guy around 8:20 walking Fauntleroy towards California. I thought it was extremely unusual. I did not know about this event at the time. I just called the police and they are going to come get more info. I hope you will call as well.

    • WSB February 16, 2011 (9:53 am)

      35, I believe I hear that dispatch now on the scanner. Thanks to everyone for sharing information. And I need to say to everyone: THE POLICE are the people with whom you need to share information right now, as they search for a killer. We also do not have official information about the victim so we will not publish comments speculating about or claiming to have information about him, either. Again, if you have information that would help the investigation, call 911. There also is a way to send anonymous tips – that’s linked on our Crime Watch page. – TR

  • Tee February 16, 2011 (9:44 am)

    Yes – WestsideD – Please let the police know about that sighting. If nothing else it is creepy and very suspicious.

  • Neighbor February 16, 2011 (10:01 am)

    After reading the crime reports a couple days ago I found myself thinking why are people still opening their doors for people they don’t know. I understand that this may not be the case in this situation but it does serve as a reminder to everyone. Who cares if you have a face memorized or a photo if your dead.

  • wsblockwatchcaptainsnetwork February 16, 2011 (10:01 am)

    SPD requests all suspicious behavior or unusual observations be called in at all times. They tell citizens that we know our streets and neighborhoods, including parks, we live in better than they. Observations like WestsideJ’s are exactly what they mean. Especially in the context of this terrible crime. Please call SPD immediately. And kudos for being observant everybody! Let’s hope they are able to track down the perp soon, whoever it is.

  • wsblockwatchcaptainsnetwork February 16, 2011 (10:08 am)

    Correction to Westside D, not westsidej. My apologies.

  • JAG February 16, 2011 (10:31 am)

    Ms F — I’ve lived within 1/2 mile of that home for 25 years, 15 yrs on that same block. No crime problem, other than the occasional car prowl or maybe a burglary, like any neighborhood.

  • Westside D February 16, 2011 (10:34 am)

    OK. Thanks all for your input. I have called police and reported it. (I used the phone number published in the story by the Seattle Times: 206-684-5550)

  • 35this35mph February 16, 2011 (11:07 am)

    Man, so ~ 1:20 later and no police here yet… I gotta go to work here.. (ps, just venting, no expectation that anyone here is gonna fix it).

  • 35this35mph February 16, 2011 (11:42 am)

    OK, so I just called to say, “Hey it’s been about 2 hours, any ETA?” She got off the line for a minute and came back to say, “They have the suspect in custody. Do you still want to see an officer?” “No but it woulda been nice to know they weren’t coming.” Hope they got their man.

    • WSB February 16, 2011 (11:48 am)

      35, I’ve been out for the past hour and a half but I did have firsthand proof they were looking – scanner traffic, visual and also an area business where officers had come in and asked if anyone had been seen – TR
      .
      p.s. I am checking with police to see if they can comment regarding what you were told …

  • cjboffoli February 16, 2011 (12:24 pm)

    Nulu: It was indeed an unusual request but the police merely asked us to please stay out of the way while they did their jobs. Sure, we have rights as journalists. But we also have responsibilities as professionals and as citizens. We’re there to cover the news, not interfere with or potentially do detriment to a police investigation.
    .
    The SPD were actively searching with K9 units for a suspect in a very serious and brutal crime. They didn’t have a physical description of that suspect and the dogs were trying to follow a scent. So for those reasons and more it wasn’t a good idea for a bunch of people to be standing around outside, very close to the crime scene. They gave us as much access as they could as quickly as they could.

  • Bonnie February 16, 2011 (3:42 pm)

    Ms. F I live 1/2 mile up the hill and we don’t normally have problems like that. I think it could happen anywhere in West Seattle. Of course, we get the same stuff that was mentioned, car prowls, etc.

  • misc February 16, 2011 (4:18 pm)

    @ Ms F, agreeing with Bonnie, this is generally a very peaceful neighborhood.

  • BLhappypets February 16, 2011 (4:50 pm)

    Great neighborhood, this wouldn’t prevent me from living there at all.

  • Under_Achiever February 16, 2011 (5:08 pm)

    Seattle Times reports a 19 year old is in custody.

  • Vern February 16, 2011 (5:37 pm)

    Oh gosh, I am in shock. With lots of Love to you Hokum. You will be missed.

    Vern (Wernher)

  • ellenater February 16, 2011 (6:17 pm)

    Good work, Christopher!

  • NEIGHBOR February 16, 2011 (6:22 pm)

    WESTSIDE D – CALL SEATTLE POLICE HOMICIDE UNIT @ 684-5550. IF ANYTHING IT HELPS ESTABLISH A TIMELINE.

  • drew hardy February 16, 2011 (7:09 pm)

    Goodwork westside D! I am curious where exactly did you see this guy climb out of the ravine. I walk my dog by that area every morning. DO you have street intersection or landmark.

  • Ms F February 19, 2011 (1:16 pm)

    I’m so glad to hear someone is in custody. As an aside, thanks to those who commented on my neighborhood question.

  • Mary February 20, 2011 (11:54 pm)

    Love and prayers to Mr. Jeebs’ family and friends. My friends and I have been privileged to see Mr. Jeebs entertain many times at Kenyon Hall (previously Hokum Hall). Thanks Mr. Jeebs and Louis Magor for many wonderful musical evenings of entertainment. Love, Mary Beck

  • silentonlooker February 22, 2011 (8:22 am)

    If only people knew the true level of insanity involved in this crime.

  • Level of Insanity February 22, 2011 (2:46 pm)

    Doesn’t any senseless murder have a pretty deep level of insanity? Something you want to share?

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