(2/16/2011 photo by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has announced it has charged 19-year-old Angelo Felice with first-degree murder in last Wednesday’s stabbing death of the 60-year-old Fauntleroy entertainer best known as Professor Hokum W. Jeebs (birth name Robert Stabile). He is scheduled to return to court March 8th to answer the charge. (Update: His bail has been raised to $1 million.) The charging documents allege that Felice killed Jeebs “while committing and attempting to commit the crime of robbery.” They also say that blood found on Felice’s shirt and on a knife found on the back deck of the house matched Jeebs’s DNA. The story of how the two were acquainted with each other, and what allegedly preceded the murder, is a complicated one – we will transcribe the court documents, minus names that aren’t those of the suspect and victim.
4:14 PM UPDATE: We’re transcribing the documents and updating every paragraph or so, after the jump.
5:03 PM. Transcription is finished. (Be forewarned that the narrative is graphic in spots.):
On 2-16-11 at approximately 0015 hrs, the Seattle Police 911 center received a call of an assault in progress from the residence of 93– 44th Ave SW … The caller … stated that her housemate had been stabbed. Uniformed officers of SPD and Seattle Fire Department along with a K-9 unit responded to the residence. Upon SPD and SFD’s arrival, the victim, later identified as Robert Stabile, was located on the first floor of the residence. He was moved to the living room where SFD attempted to revive and stabilize his condition. SPD set up a perimeter and applied the K-9 unit in an attempt to locate the suspect(s). Stabile was covered in blood and it appeared that he had suffered at least one stab wound to his left side and a large slashing wound to his right wrist. SFD paramedics were unable to revive the victim and he died at the scene. The SPD K-9 unit began the track at the residence but was unable to locate a suspect(s). The crime scene was established outside the residence and the SPD Homicide unit was notified.
My partner … and I were assigned as the lead detectives on this investigation. When we arrived at the scene we were given a summary of the events. The residence is a large three-story house. We noticed immediately that there were traces of blood drops and stains on the first floor, second floor and the back deck area. Two kitchen knives were located just outside the door of the deck. There was a marijuana grow operation in the basement. We contacted (victim’s roommate) who stated that she and Stabile were actually ‘domestic partners.’ She stated that they have lived together for approximately 14 years. She occupies the first floor while Stabile lived on the second floor and third floor or basement.
(She) stated that Stabile was a retired performer and his stage name was Hokum W. Jeebs and that is what he liked to be referred to usually. She stated that because he had several illnesses he was granted a license to grow marijuana for medicinal purposes and that was what was in the basement floor. (She) stated that they had finished dinner on 2-15-11 at around 2100 hours. She remembered asking the victim if he wished to watch television together and Stabile declined and stated that he was going out to meet someone and bring this person back to the residence. (She) told detectives that she retired to her room and recalled hearing Stabile returning around 2130 to 2200 hours. She stated that she heard his vehicle return and could hear him and another person enter through the garage to the back entrance of the second floor. (She) stated that Stabile at times would have other men over and she would stay upstairs. On this night she did not see the individual that he brought home.
(She) stated she went to bed and was woken up a little after midnight when she heard Stabile yelling out in pain on the back deck. She also heard running on the back deck. She stated that she got out of bed and was putting on her bathrobe to go to his aid when something smashed against her bedroom window on the west side of her room. At that point she called 911 to report an assault in progress. As she was on the phone with 911, Stabile came into her bedroom yelling that he had been stabbed. She stated he was covered in blood and yelling for her. She used several towels to attempt to put pressure on his injuries. When the SFD paramedics arrived Stabile was already unconscious. He died at the scene. (She) pointed out to uniformed officers that there was a white “NY” BB cap on the second floor that did not belong to Stabile.
An autopsy was done on Robert Stabile by the King County Medical Examiner. It was determined that Stabile suffered three knife wounds. One was a slashing wound to his right wrist (possibly a defensive injury) and the other two were actual stab wounds. He suffered one to his back that was not a life-threatening wound. The other was a stab wound to his left side. This injury penetrated the chest cavity in an upward movement, through the ribcage and damaging the carotid artery near the heart. The KCME stated that this was the fatal wound that caused the death of Stabile.
A witness who lives several houses just north of the residence reported that he had seen a young (white male) running “at a good clip” on the west side of the street on 44th Ave SW shortly after midnight in a northbound direction toward SW Barton. As the male was moving he tripped and fell. As the male passed the witness, the male stated, “How’s it goin’, boss/” The witness told him he was fine and asked the male if he was OK and the male responded that he was. He described the male as 5-08, 170 pounds, waring a white shirt and dark pants. The male continued northbound out of sight of the witness.
At approximately 0730 hours, a second witness observed a (white male), approximately 20 years old, wearing a white shirt and covered in mud, climb out of the ravine located at Kilbourne Park, which is located in the area of 4200 block of SW Brace Point Dr, which is approximately one block from the victim’s residence. This ravine is in a northeast direction from the crime scene and was the last known direction the white male in the white shirt and dark pants had been seen running in by the first witness in the 9300 block of 44th Ave SW. He stated when the male climbed out he was “moving very fast” and he could not see what direction he left.
Two additional witnesses reported seeing a white male in his 20s with muddy clothes in the same area. Uniformed officers responded. At approximately 1015 hrs, (an officer) working in uniform and a marked unit located a W/M/20s wearing a white shirt and baggie jeans that was covered in mud from head to toe. The officer stopped him in the area of 16th SW and SW Holden St. When asked why he was covered in mud he stated that he had been out looking for his sister’s dog this morning. The male identified himself as Angelo G. Felice (white male, 1991 birth date). He had no identification on his person. Felice was cleared of weapons and transported to the homicide office.
Felice was placed in an interview room and was made aware that he was being video and audio recorded. Felice stated that he was from Binghampton, New York, and had been in the Seattle area since mid-December 2010. When Felice was told the interview would not take place immediately he referred to (detective writing the narrative) as “My bad boss.”
Prior to beginning the interview, I reviewed the analysis that had been done on the victim’s cell phone that had been collected at the scene. The victim had numerous text messages to various persons regarding suspected narcotics trafficking of marijuana and messages regarding his sexual encounters with other men. There was a set of text message communications between the victim and a number listed as … that are recorded as 2-14-11 at 2:31 pm (PST). It is an incoming text to the victim and it states, “Hey do you need any wrk done today angelo said he needs to make some money.” The victim responds back at 3:04 pm (PST) “Is that wink wink work?” The response back at 3:09 pm (PST) is, “Hes down for that kind of work but he wants to get to know you first.” The communication goes back and forth and it is arranged for the victim to meet with “angelo” at 5:00 pm. The text messages from the victim confirms that the meeting took place because he sent a message to “Binghamton Angelo” on 2-14-11 at approximately 10:03 pm (PST) stating that he enjoyed meeting and that he was looking forward to the next meeting.
Felice consented to providing a DNA sample. Felice was advised of his Miranda warnings and stated he understood them. He told us that he is currently stating at his sister’s residence but he did not know the number there. I asked him if he had a cellular phone and he stated he did but he did not know the number and didn’t know where it was currently. He stated it was a pre-paid cellular phone. I asked him about his activities and whereabouts for Monday 2-14-11. He stated he remembered that he smoked “weed” throughout the day and drank with a friend that he had just met. He stated that this friend lives by the 7-11 on 16th Ave SW in an apartment by a church.
Felice stated that on Tuesday 2-15-11 he did more “weed” and remembered meeting with “Hokum” (stage name for Stabile), who he described as a (anti-gay slur). He stated that he went to his residence to smoke with him. When asked if he walked there he stated “Hokum” actually picked him up at the 7-11 on 16th Ave. SW. He remembered he was picked up at approximately 2130 to 2200 hours. He stated that “Hokum” has been “hitting” on him recently. He stated he went to the residence by himself. He described “Hokum” as an “old dude with glasses.” He stated that they were smoking “bud” at his house. When he was there at “Hokum’s” residence “Hokum” kept wanting him to “hit the tweek” (use Methamphetamine) with him. Felice stated he did. Felice stated that “Hokum” tried to unbutton his pants at one point “in the backroom.” He stated that “Hokum” was telling him he had seen him playing basketball on Monday and that excited him.
Felice stated he left Hokum’s residence around 0030 hrs to 0100 hrs and walked home. He stated while there he was shown “Hokum’s” marijuana grow in the basement. He stated that “Hokum” had someone else texting him that night and that person was jealous because he would not let that person come over. I reviewed the messages from that night and there had been another person that had been sending message sthat night about visiting but Stabile replied back at 11:05 pm (PST) on 2-15-11 to that person, “A friend is here and we’re chilling. If your still up later, I’ll call when he leaves.” Felice told us that this was the first time he had been at “Hokum’s” residence. He stated that he had met with “Hokum” on Monday and that “Hokum” had brought him drinks and cigarettes. “Hokum” had told Felice that if he wanted to get high he just had to let him know and he could come to his residence.
Felice admitted that the white “NY” BB cap was his and he had left it there when he left. He stated that because “Hokum” was coming on to him he grabbed his smokes and just left. Felice explained that as he went out the back deck “Hokum” was begging for him to stay. He stated he heard a beer bottle break and he left at that point. Detectives informed him that “Hokum” had been “hurt.” Felice denied harming the victim. Felice was booked into the King County Jail for investigation of murder. His clothes were collected. A trace of a red substance which was consistent with blood was seen on Felice’s shirt located on the lower left front area by Detective … as the clothing was recovered.
Detective … and I identified several people from the text messages that the victim had been communicating with on 2-14-11 and 2-15-11. We located the witness that owned the cellular number of … This witness stated that he had known the victim for approximately a year and a half and he only knew Felice for about a week. He stated Felice had told him that he was from New York and that he wanted to go back but he needed money. He stated Felice had been talking about doing some “house licks” (street term for home invasion robberies) the last several days to make some money. When asked about the text messages on 2-14-11 to “Hokum” he stated that Felice had used his phone to send messages to “Hokum.” He did not realize the contents of the messages till after they had met up. He stated he event went over to “Hokum’s” house the evening of 2-14-11 to warn him not to trust Felice because he thought Felice was “shady.” Messages between this witness and the victim on the evening of 2-14-11 confirmed that this witness did visit the victim that night. He stated he knew that Felice had gone over to “Hokum’s” on the evening of 2-15-11 and he had not heard from “Hokum” and thought something was wrong. He stated Felice knew about the victim’s drug usage and sexual behavior because he and others had told him about it. Another witness that was identified by his phone contact with the victim told detectives that “Hokum” was his source for marijuana. He stated that he was aware the victim was homosexual and that he had hit on him in the past also. Both witnesses denied having any type of sexual relationship with him. Both men voluntarily gave DNA samples when asked.
On the morning of 2-17-11, Detective … received a call from a witness that stated he had heard what had happened to “Hokum” and he needed to call us. We met with this witness and he relayed the following. He has known the suspect Angelo Felice for only a few weeks and on Monday, 2-14-11, at approximately 1500 to 1600 hrs, he had been with Angelo Felice and several others when an older W/M with glasses driving a new red vehicle that looked like a PT Cruiser had stopped at the location he was at. Felice walked over to the vehicle and talked to the older male about doing yard work for him. The witness later learned that the male went by “Hokum.” A photo was shown of the victim by me and he positively identified him as the person he saw driving the new red car. After “Hokum” left, the witness stated that Felice began to talk about how they should go over to “Hokum’s” place under the pretense that they were going to work in the garden then tie him up and rob him for his “weed” and anything else. The witness stated that he left after that because he doesn’t do things like that. The victim drove a 2011 Chevy “HHR” and it is very similar to the Dodge PT Cruiser in design and appearance.
On 2-17-11, Detective … and I arranged to have several items immediately tested for latent prints with the SPD Latent Print Unit and the WSP Crime Lab for prints and DNA profiling. The items sent were one of the knives recovered from the back deck and the white muddy shirt that Felice was wearing at the time of his arrest along with blood and DNA samples recovered from the victim and Felice.
On 2-22-11, I received the WSP Crime Lab report from … the forensic scientist assigned to analyze the items that we submitted. She stated that she took several blood samples from the knife and two blood samples from the shirt, one from the lower front and one located on the back. Her report identified the DNA profile located on the front of the shirt as a match to Felice. Her report showed the DNA profile samples obtained from the knife and the blood on the back of Felice’s shirt was a match to the victim, Robert Stabile. The report stated that the estimated probability of selecting an unrelated individual at random from the U.S> population with a matching profile is 1 in 31 billion.
Though the documents provided by the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office today do not include information on Felice’s criminal history, and we haven’t found public records from New York state, we do have this link to a New York story from almost two years ago, in which Felice was accused of assault while serving time for burglary.
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