West Seattle, Washington
01 Monday
Quick followups on three incidents we’ve posted about here in the past few days: Friday night High Point stabbing – no arrest yet (no condition update on the victim, either, but as reported that night, her wounds were not life-threatening); last night’s Money Tree break-in — the suspect’s indeed in custody, and Southwest Precinct Lt. Steve Paulsen confirms it was indeed a break-in through the roof (Nichole reports in comments that an alert neighbor spotted the burglar and called 911); last night’s report of an assault victim at 29th/Thistle, turned out not to have been an assault after all – police had to sort through the story told by a woman who was dropped off there by some people she had reportedly met on Beacon Hill, but ultimately it was determined there was not a crime to report. Reminder, if you’re concerned about crime and safety in West Seattle, the Denny Middle School library is the place to be tomorrow night, 7 pm, for the monthly West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting (here’s our report from last month).
Two incidents under way right now: Thanks to Brad and Brian for the tip about police at the Money Tree at 41st/Alaska; scanner traffic points to a search for an intruder. Police also are in the 29th/Thistle vicinity, with scanner traffic reporting a medic crew responding to assist with a report of an assault victim. 1 AM UPDATE: Fire truck L(adder)-11 is at the 41st/Alaska scene to help. 1:21 AM ADDITION: Still monitoring the scanner … now, somewhere on 45th SW, police have been called after three people broke a car window and took off running. Missed the block #. 1:36 AM UPDATE: Sounds like the 41st/Alaska intruder may be in custody; police were reported to be talking to him, and then searching to be sure no one else was in the building. 1:53 AM UPDATE: Now officers are checking out a report of shots heard in 19th/Thistle vicinity. RELEVANT SIDE NOTE: This month’s meeting of the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council is at 7 pm Tuesday night — different location — Denny Middle School (30th/Thistle; map).
Out of the WSB inbox, from Melissa:
We just wanted to alert our neighbors that we had our house broken into on Thursday 10/16 during the day. We live around Thistle and 17th Ave SW in Highland Park (map). They came in through the cat door and stole small items. The next day, there was also some odd behavior when a white mini-van with 2 guys in it lurked in front of our house. They stared at the house for awhile and then came up to the front door and knocked. I did not answer the door but made a police report of suspicious behavior. I just want everyone to be aware, alert and to look out for each other!
We asked Melissa a followup question about the cat-door method of entry – she said the burglar(s) reached through it to unlock the main door, either by hand, or with a tool. SUNDAY AFTERNOON ADDENDUM: A few hours after we published this, Gretchen e-mailed the following:
I just read about the cat door burglary. The author mentioned a white minivan with two guys driving slowly in the neighborhood. I was putting my daughter in the car the other day and a white minivan with two guys stopped to ask me if there were any rentals in the area. He said, “I’m looking to rent in the area.” I was distracted and said, sure, look for the signs. He asked me to clarify which blocks. I told him to drive around. They went on but I got a weird feeling. I was thinking they were into real estate since we have had real estate investors roam door to door in the past. These guys were young though, maybe late 20’s. Anyway, after reading the other note, I thought it was worth mentioning. I live on 30th between Webster and
Othello (map).
WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH ADDITION: You may have heard that Seattle Police have launched a website with short summaries of major crime incidents around the city, SPD Blotter. They have made RSS feeds available, separated by precinct, so we have added the Southwest Precinct feed from SPD Blotter to the WSB Crime Watch page (automated links, similar to the format you’ll find on our Blogs and More pages).
HOLIDAYS PAGE UPDATES: Thanks to everyone who’s sent word of more West Seattle Halloween events since we announced the WSB Holidays page, which starts with Halloween happenings (lots next Fri-Sat-Sun plus of course Halloween night itself) and continues through the winter holidays. If you’re planning something to which West Seattleites are welcome, please e-mail us the who/what/when/where, editor@westseattleblog.com, any time.
FROM PARTNER SITE WHITE CENTER NOW: After two and a half months, White Center Now continues to update White Center news and information seven days a week, with multiple updates most days – like today: Here’s news of a new men’s salon coming to White Center; and here you’ll find new photos from the ongoing pier-removal work at Hicks Lake (now there’s a MASSIVE crane on the job).
(video added 11:58 pm)
ORIGINAL POST: We’re en route to check it out – 6300 block of 34th SW. More shortly. 10:54 PM UPDATE: About eight police vehicles, multiple medics – this is in the Seattle Housing Authority building on 34th just north of Morgan. No info yet on what happened or who’s hurt – our crew’s seeing one person being wheeled away. 11:02 PM UPDATE: Sgt. Sweetland at the scene tells us they’re searching for a suspect, who’s believed to have known the victim. Injuries not likely to be life-threatening. Only information we have about the victim is gender: female. 11:15 PM UPDATE: Police confirm it was a stabbing, not a shooting, but reiterate it wasn’t life-threatening wounds and that they “know exactly who they are looking for.” Most of the police/fire crews have left the scene, and as of a few minutes ago, it was our crew and Channel 4 hanging around in case more info emerges. SATURDAY UPDATE: SPD Blotter describes the victim’s injuries as “cuts to her neck and arm” and notes the suspect still is on the loose.
It is almost unimaginable to think of having to stand just feet away from a murderer – let alone a murderer who took someone precious away from you and your family forever. But that is what West Seattleites Pam Reside Leach (first photo, left), her husband Jeff Leach (second photo, left), and their teenage son Joey Leach did, with quiet but firm bravery, as they spoke during an emotional hearing before King County Superior Court Judge Michael Fox a short time ago. 
This was the first part of the sentencing hearing for Brian Walsh (at right in both photos above), who pleaded guilty in August (WSB coverage here) to second-degree murder in the beating/stabbing death of Pam’s developmentally and physically disabled brother “Benny” Reside (photo right) in April 2007 at Cal-Mor Circle in Morgan Junction. The hearing had to be split into two sessions because of a medical emergency for a member of the defense team; Pam and her family asked that today’s date be kept, rather than entirely postponed till later, because other family and friends had flown in to be present. We will add details from this afternoon’s testimony to this story a bit later; the second half of the hearing is set for December 5th, and it was reiterated today that the prosecution is asking for the longest sentence possible, 18 years and 4 months, while the defense is seeking the low end of the scale, 14 years and 2 months. ADDED SATURDAY MORNING: Excerpts from what Jeff, Joey, and Pam Leach told the judge – and the killer – in court, and what the judge wanted them to know as the day’s proceedings concluded:Read More
A few weeks after Vera from Village Green Perennial Nursery told us someone had stolen one of her streetfront signboards (from 26th/Roxbury) by sawing it away from its tether, she e-mailed to say it’s happened again: “Another Village Green sign has been stolen! This time they cut off 2 legs.” And apparently hers wasn’t the only business whose sign was taken — Vera says someone from e-green landscaping (WSB sponsor) “found (the sign) at Home Depot on Delridge – the store employee said they found several business signs dumped in their dumpster! This is apparently a fun hobby for someone!”
This is the only West Seattle murder case from 2007 to go to trial – and that trial started this week with jury selection. WSB is covering the trial of the Alki 18-year-old charged with second-degree murder for the 10/13/2007 deadly shooting in a car at 59th/Admiral; we have not published his name since it emerged last fall that his defense focuses on a contention he was a longtime victim of sexual abuse. Here’s the update from our reporter on what happened at the courthouse today:Read More
Out of the WSB inbox, from Deb:
Our house (near the intersection of 38th Ave SW & SW Dakota St; map) has no off-street parking, so we park on the street. Sometime last night my car was egged, and I’m curious about whether anyone else’s cars were egged last night. I took a quick look at my neighbors’ cars and didn’t see any obvious evidence of egging, but I didn’t look too closely because I was running late after trying (unsuccessfully!) to clean the dried, cold egg off of my car. I hope no one else’s cars or houses were egged, but I’d be curious to hear about it if they were. I’m not sure if I should report this to the police. On one hand, I don’t want to waste their time and resources on something that’s relatively minor (albeit annoying and frustrating). On the other hand, I haven’t been able to get all of the egg off of my car, so I don’t know yet whether there’s any actual property damage. Now I’m off to search the interwebs for information about how to get dried egg off of my car without causing (more?) damage to the paint.
Yes, report it to the police. Coincidentally, the P-I’s 911 blog just took up this topic.
Two more car-burglary reports came in tonight, this time from car owners who want you to know what happened to them in the Beach Drive and Admiral areas:Read More
Got a call tonight from Southwest Precinct Community Police Team Officer Kevin McDaniel suggesting an alert about a scam that is particularly cruel in its choice of targets: Owners of missing pets. Some of those who have posted e-mail addresses online have received notes from people claiming they have the missing pet and are demanding ransom. Some are particularly obvious, not just because of the text – they sound like a spam e-mail – but also because if you put an excerpt of the text into Google or another favorite search engine, you’ll turn up other warnings that it’s a scam. If you do think you have gotten a note or call that might be a legitimate claim of pet-napping and/or ransom, of course, McDaniel stresses, call police (the non-emergency number is 206/625-5011).
Another mini-wave of reports has come in – this time, car break-ins, from two neighborhoods in eastern West Seattle: Read More
While at the county courthouse for the Satterlee House arguments (see previous report), we checked on the trial of the 18-year-old accused of second-degree murder in the 59th/Admiral shooting that happened exactly one year ago today. The judge’s staff told us that motions were heard today and jury selection is scheduled to begin Wednesday morning. The suspect contends that he was sexually abused for years by the man he is on trial for shooting dead in a car that day; his lawyer told WSB last month that he had no intention of plea-bargaining this case (as was done in West Seattle’s other two 2007 murder cases, the beating death of Benny Reside at Cal-Mor Circle and the fatal shooting of Dewayne West at 37th/Findlay). The 59th/Admiral suspect has been jailed, in lieu of $200,000 bail, since his surrender within a few days of last year’s shooting.
Three short reader reports to share – if you live in the Seaview or Admiral areas in particular, you might want to be aware:Read More
A Westwood resident who wants to remain anonymous believes someone stole her missing chocolate Labrador/pointer mix (shown at left), just 16 months old, and wants to ask you to be on the lookout. She says the thief or thieves removed “panels from a wooden fence” to get onto the property and “poorly patched up the fence in an attempt to hide their robbery.” They say they’ve reported this to Seattle Police as well as the Seattle Animal Shelter and they have reason to suspect the culprits might be in the neighborhood, so they are asking fellow West Seattleites to watch for their dog. She has a chip and was wearing its tags when taken. If you have any information, they have an e-mailbox set up via CL; click here to launch a mail window.
That photo comes from Helen, who wonders if anybody happens to be “missing” this abandoned car, which turned up overnight (open trunk and all):
I live in the 5900 block of 18th Avenue SW (map), and as I set out to go to work, I saw a car in front of my house this morning. Turns out that my neighbor across the street and 3 or 4 houses south of me had his van stolen around 5 am today. A police officer was there taking a report, and told me he’d run the plates on the car in front of my house, but we all felt it was highly likely that it was stolen.
No word on that yet, but we thought we’d run the pic in case you or somebody you know is looking for that car.
If you see a two-piece tile artwork that resembles what’s shown above – you may be able to solve the mystery of a ripoff at West Seattle’s newest dining/drinking establishment, The Bohemian. Proprietors Jason and Eirik Rice‘s mom Terri wrote us with the details:
I was so upset that a person stole our beautiful tiles from the front of our Ladies Room door on Saturday night. We have tried so hard to make everything nice & comfortable for our guests and to be treated like this it is a real disappointment. Our neighborhood friends are also upset that this has happened in their place. Please put something in the blog that will let this “person” know that they should be ashamed of themselves. And their Mother would be also.
She says there’s a bottle-of-wine reward for anyone who returns the stolen tiles (not taken during a break-in, but during hours when The Bohemian was open, “on a busy Saturday night”).
We’ve had several reports of car break-ins in recent days, and here’s another one: Don e-mails to report, “My truck was also broken into on the night of the 3rd. It was on 42nd near Blockbuster on Fauntleroy. Radio and some change is all that is missing. Damaged the locks on both doors to gain entry.”
Back in June, we covered a regional briefing in SeaTac by King County Sheriff Sue Rahr (left), sounding the alarm about how the county’s budget crisis might affect public-safety services — services that affect Seattle residents (and other cities) as well as those in unincorporated areas like White Center, including the Prosecuting Attorney‘s office and the courts. Now, as budget-decision time approaches, the sheriff has just announced another series of public meetings at which she, Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg, and two presiding judges will appear; one is October 29th in White Center – details are on our partner site, White Center Now. (Another meeting that’s not too far away from West Seattle will be at Town Hall downtown, 7 pm on November 3rd.)
Just out of the WSB inbox, from Jane:
I’m writing to report another car break-in, on the night of Friday, October 3rd, to my Honda Civic. The car was parked in front of the house. The location was 42nd Avenue SW between Brandon and Findlay. I reported the break in to the police.
The items stolen from the car were my teenage son’s backpack, which he left on the back seat, and his orthodontic retainers, stored in the front car compartment. The backpack is black with grey trim and contains papers and books belonging to a West Seattle High School student named Ben. The retainers are clear. If anyone notices these items dumped in their alley or yard, please contact me at lewis_ja@msn.com.
I thought this story could serve as another reminder of the importance of emptying our vehicles of valuable items – especially to teenagers who don’t always get why their parents tell them to leave nothing visible in the car.
Out of the WSB inbox, from Karen:
I wanted to report that our car was broken into overnight near the corner of 46th and Genesee (map). They took the change, emergency road kit and tire chains. This is the 6th time that car has been broken into at that location over the past few years. Nothing of much value has every been stolen but it is a nuisance and, just like tagging, increases if left unchecked. I would remind everyone to report any crime no matter how small. It allows the police to track activity and will increase patrols in effected areas.
FROM THE “YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST” FILE: It’s been a few days since we reported this, in response to this, so we’re mentioning it again today in case you read this. BlueStar told WSB back on Tuesday that the West Seattle Whole Foods store is “all systems go” despite the Interbay Whole Foods woes. WF itself hadn’t responded to inquiries all week till this e-mail received by Slog, which says the same thing.
SEX OFFENDER JAILED AGAIN: After seeing this story, we looked for the suspect’s West Seattle link. Finally turned one up in the sex-offender search engine which is linked from the “resources” list at the end of our Crime Watch page – he’s in jail now, but his last-reported address was on 16th SW.
Seattle Police just put out a citywide call for public help in identifying the man shown in the sketch at left. The news release says: “On September 25th 2008, at approximately 11:00 p.m., the below-described suspect sexually assaulted a 12-year-old girl in the yard of her home in the 2200 block of Northeast 143rd Street. The suspect is described as a white male, 55-60 years old, 5’07-5’10 very skinny build. Hair/beard possibly blondish/gray. Last seen wearing, a navy blue knit cap (recovered at scene). Gray hooded sweatshirt. Dark jeans. Alcohol on breath, dirty. Knife or sharp object in pocket of sweatshirt. ‘Holes’ on forehead/cheeks. (Possibly pock marks, large pores or bumps) Light scar below right eye. Anyone with information about this suspect is asked to call the Seattle Police Sexual Assault Unit at 206-684-5573.”
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