Followup: Another West Seattle murder case closed

While doing research for our coverage of the plea bargain in the Cal-Mor Circle murder of Benny Reside (in-depth story here; today’s followup from court here), gavel.jpgwe discovered that one of the other two 2007 West Seattle murder cases was closed recently — and this one also ended with a plea bargain. 31-year-old Jabarie Phillips admitted he killed 35-year-old Dewayne West on March 14, 2007, outside the 37th/Findlay (map) home where West lived with a roommate. Phillips has pleaded guilty to manslaughter; he originally was charged with second-degree murder. Court documents do not indicate any clear motive, but they do note that West and Phillips had known each other since childhood. That’s about how far Phillips’ criminal record went – his first felony conviction was at age 14 1/2, for stealing a car and eluding police. The court documents we just found say that this month, he was sentenced to 159 months (13 years, 3 months), with credit for the 17 months he already had spent behind bars since the arrest. This leaves one 2007 West Seattle murder unresolved — the 59th/Admiral shooting from last October. The suspect is now 18; we stopped using his name when it was revealed he claims a history of sexual abuse by the man he is accused of shooting to death (as detailed in this WSB report from 10/29/07). He is charged with second-degree murder, and is still in jail, bail set at $200,000; his next hearing is slated for next week.

1 Reply to "Followup: Another West Seattle murder case closed"

  • Brandon August 28, 2008 (10:35 am)

    So that makes 4 killings in the High Point/Fauntleroy stretch from Mogan to Dawson and 34th/37th since 2002 that I can think of off the top of my head (Limo driver by Walgreens, youth on the bicycle/gang shooting, the 37th shotgun shooting, and the home burglary killing on 35th and Brandon/Dawson.)
    Yes, our council really needs to focus on this bag tax while the rest of WS goes to hell in a hand basket. This doesn’t include the other two killings mentioned about, let alone others in WS/Delridge/White Center. Violent crime in our neighborhoods is more important that the bag tax IMHO (don’t even get me started on the school district).

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