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FOLLOWUP: 1 suspect arrested in 31st SW murder, another sought

September 20, 2017 1:53 pm
|      37 COMMENTS
 |   Crime | West Seattle news | West Seattle police | Westwood

1:53 PM: Just in from SPD – a 21-year-old woman has been arrested and jailed in connection with last night’s murder in the 8100 block of 31st SW, and a second suspect is being sought – no name or description yet. They’re still seeking tips at 206-233-5000 – the case is by no means closed. The victim was shot to death in the street outside his home just before 7 pm last night; he has not yet been publicly identified. Police say today’s arrest was made in Burien, and that they do not believe the deadly shooting was random.

2:31 PM: The suspect is likely to appear in court tomorrow, at which time probable-cause documents will likely reveal more about the case. Meantime, we’ve checked her record, and, at least in this state, it has no felonies. She was arrested two and a half years ago on suspicion of 4th-degree domestic-violence assault but, documents say, the city of Burien – where she was reported to be living – declined to file charges.

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37 Replies to "FOLLOWUP: 1 suspect arrested in 31st SW murder, another sought"

  • Brad September 20, 2017 (2:46 pm)

    So what’s her name? 

    • WSB September 20, 2017 (3:00 pm)

      She is not yet charged. In most cases, we don’t publish suspects’ names until charged, without circumstances such as, caught in the act, confessed, etc. We won’t know until tomorrow at the soonest what information led police to arrest her, nor what they allege her role in the killing was. – TR

      • Lisa Carroll September 22, 2017 (5:29 am)

        What I have heard is the suspect is an ex girlfriend of the victim. She had called him and wanted to meet with him. The suspect was seen circling the block and called the victim to ask him to help her park her car. When he went out side to park the car he was pulled from the car by a man in a black sweatshirt and then shot. I don’t know if only part or all of this was caught on a home survelliance system but what I read was the suspect can be seen crouching down bt some cars while the victim parked her car. After he was shot she can be seen walking up to him , looking at him,  and then driving away. I know the young man who was shot and I am deeply saddened by this cold blooded act of violence. He was a respectful hardworking young man trying to make a life for himself and doing a good job. He will be missed at work. I keep his family in prayer and hope they catch the gunman soon. 

    • LeftSEA September 21, 2017 (2:23 pm)

      http://blue.kingcounty.gov/Courts/Detention/JILS/default.aspx

      Pretty easy to find her.

  • Bradley September 20, 2017 (3:28 pm)

    Relieved to hear that this probably wasn’t random. Statistically, the vast majority of people murdered have some sort of ties to their killers. I used to live within a couple of blocks of where this happened for almost 20 years and it’s a great neighborhood. So sorry for the victim and his neighbors.

    • Trickycoolj September 20, 2017 (4:26 pm)

      Can’t really say it wasn’t random without more details. Victim may have seen something the perps didn’t want him to report. I worried after my mom witnessed a drug deal at the end of my driveway and turned the lights on and made it clear she was watching if someone would be bold enough to come back and retaliate. 

      Oddly enough a double homicide a few blocks north from this in the 1960s is why my grandparents moved away from West Seattle and refused to come back. 

  • mrmjp September 20, 2017 (4:23 pm)

    I can’t imagine this is random. My family and I have lived in this neighborhood for the last thirteen years and this kind of shooting is a first.

  • Janet Seeley September 20, 2017 (4:48 pm)

    I think we all have to understand that this could happen in any neighborhood. I’m in Admiral District, and I still remember a victim of a car break in complaining that they moved into this neighborhood specifically because the crime rate was perceived as negligible. And it’s not  true. Crimes like this can happen anywhere no matter how nice the neighborhood is thought to be :(

  • ScubaFrog September 20, 2017 (4:54 pm)

    THANK YOU SPD!  Oh god thank you.  Please help us stop this violence in our community.  I’ve been in such an awful mood, I can’t imagine what the families of the deceased are going through

    Our neighbors deserve justice, thank you SPD for your hard work.   

    To the victims, Rest In Peace.  To the families of the victims, you have my most sincere condolences. 

  • Mark September 20, 2017 (4:56 pm)

    Nice and hopefully the SPD can find the killer of the young man at Westcrest Park too!

  • JanS September 20, 2017 (4:58 pm)

    I’m so glad this is being solved quickly. I think the neighbors, the victim’s family, will rest easier when the second suspect is caught. 

  • Big Dan September 20, 2017 (5:06 pm)

    All indications point to this not being random.

    • WSB September 20, 2017 (5:33 pm)

      Which is what police said, as reported above.

      • Big Dan September 20, 2017 (5:44 pm)

        The police didn’t say that. When questioned the police pivoted and said that “they didn’t believe” it was random which…means jack. 

        • WSB September 20, 2017 (6:11 pm)

          That’s how they’re always going to phrase it. They’re not going to make a flat-out declaration, even if they think they have a confession. Anyway, we’ll find out more from probable-cause documents after the suspect’s expected bail hearing tomorrow afternoon. – TR

          • Big Dan September 20, 2017 (6:43 pm)

            That I’ll buy. Thanks.

  • Wsrez September 20, 2017 (6:02 pm)

    4 homicides in this precinct. The most in 10 years and the year isn’t over. Source: SPD

    • WSB September 20, 2017 (6:25 pm)

      Four people were murdered in 2010 – within days of each other. Roxhill Park and Highland Park.

  • JoB September 20, 2017 (7:15 pm)

    i am going to wait to hear what is revealed at the arraignment tomorrow..
    and hope that the second suspect is quickly aprehended

  • TJ September 20, 2017 (7:32 pm)

    Josh peck’s murder remains unsolved. Last seen at a Admiral bar, left to walk home, then found days later in Puget Sound off of Bainbridge Island. The police remain oddly silent on that one still. I am trying to look up murder statistics thru the years and what percentage were solved, but I don’t think the cases solved ratio has gone up. Homicides in Seattle are low thankfully compared to previous decades, but I am surprised how many remain unsolved 

  • Lola September 21, 2017 (8:04 am)

    https://westseattleblog.com/2012/03/woman-found-dead-off-beach-drive-now-believed-to-be-murder-victim/   This one was never solved as well. So sad. 

  • Information underload September 21, 2017 (11:34 am)

    So they are searching for a 2nd suspect.  Do they have a description?  Do they know his/her name?   The “we’re looking for a 2nd suspect” without more info means we can’t help them find this person.   For crying out loud, don’t bother saying “we are looking for a second suspect” without adding more info!   At this point with the info we have, we don’t know if the woman in custody was the shooter or if the mysterious 2nd suspect was.

    • LB September 21, 2017 (12:07 pm)

      Rest assured, the detectives know what they’re doing. Whether they tell us the name or not of the 2nd suspect depends on whether they need our help looking for him/her. In homicide cases the detectives make public only what they need to for the public’s help at that time and nothing more. Everything else is withheld to maintain the integrity of the case.

    • jimmy.no.nose September 21, 2017 (12:35 pm)

      There isn’t a description because the SPD already know who they are looking for. They didn’t release a description of the girl because they didn’t need to. The police aren’t dealing with a sophisticated joker type character here, they are dealing with stupid.

      Stupid goes like this: the police had vehicle/plates/owner/criminal history/dental records/mothers maiden of the girl before they even drove the body to the morgue. When they have someone in cuffs with 24 hours you can count on it. Its 2017 and you can probably buy a home surveillance system at the checkout in QFC. So instead of building the SPD up or tearing them down I’m just going to rationalize that this was somehow recorded. 

      Any other rational people want to join me in my sane world over here?





  • momosmom September 21, 2017 (12:01 pm)

    @Information Underload… did you ever think if the SPD or KCS gives out to much information the person(s) they are looking for may run and never be seen again? 

    And do you really think you would know this suspect if the Police said  suspect is “Male, 5’6” 150lbs., brown hair, brown eyes, driving a black car”…mmm…wouldn’t that fit almost several hundred people in Seattle?

    Let them do their job without criticizing their every move.

    • Information Underload September 21, 2017 (2:26 pm)

      I didn’t criticize anyone. I am just not seeing anything telling me that they know who they are looking for.  

  • H September 21, 2017 (12:43 pm)

    We’ve lived in this neighborhood for 17 years and it’s always been safe. Granted, when the #21 bus line that goes down 35th changed a few years ago (route includes: courthouse park, pioneer square, the shelters slightly south of that, the stadium and along areas that have been heavily populated by homeless encampments) and now ends at the poorly lit and not well maintained bus stop at the north edge of Roxhill park and the south end of Westwood center we certainly had an increase of homeless and transient population. Other than that increase, it’s been a safe, family friendly and safe walking neighborhood. And I will note that the transient population seems to have decreased – at least to my eye. In addition, it’s just a block or two north of the Westwood urban village development. Busy, busy.

    • WSB September 21, 2017 (12:46 pm)

      Light installation is part of the sidewalk project that’s under way now, after neighborhood advocates fought for it for years.

      • H September 21, 2017 (1:16 pm)

        Correct. And my understanding is that more improvements (lighting, etc) will come as part of the urban village development in that area.

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