A year and a half after 15-year-old Derek “Peachy” Juarez-Lopez was stabbed to death in Westcrest Park, the case is one hearing away from resolution. We discovered while checking on court files that all three teenagers arrested after the murder have pleaded guilty – though the murder charge was dropped for one who subsequently pleaded guilty to robbery. That’s the motive investigators cite in the murder, saying that the victim was lured into the wooded park so that marijuana could be stolen from him. Here’s what has happened to the three people arrested and charged a month and a half after the murder, all originally charged with first-degree murder:

–Diego Carballo-Oliveros, now 17: He has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. He is expected to be sentenced next week; prosecutors are recommending 20 years plus a two-year sentence to follow for deadly-weapon use.

–Elizabeth Cabrera-Aparicio, now 18: She pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, under juvenile prosecution, and has been sentenced to remain in custody until she is 21, another two and a half years.

–Jonatan Islas-Martinez, now 19: The murder charge against him was dropped and he pleaded guilty to first-degree robbery with use of a deadly weapon. This past Monday, at a hearing that court documents say was attended by family and friends of the victim, he was sentenced to five years and five months, the last two years as the “deadly-weapon enhancement.”

The victim was killed one day before he was to start his sophomore year at Chief Sealth International High School, where he was remembered at a vigil less than two weeks later.

The photo and report are from Trevor:

My 2003 Ford Excursion was stolen off 42nd Ave SW between Genesee and Oregon early yesterday morning.

The vehicle is silver, has roof racks with a Thule cargo box, and a decal on the rear window that reads “Santiago Cyclery.”

It’s been reported to police. We’re checking with Trevor for the plate # and will add that when we get it.

Two notes in West Seattle Crime Watch this afternoon:

ADMIRAL ARREST: Multiple inquiries about an arrest near 45th SW/SW Stevens this morning. We don’t have incident details but the Southwest Precinct says it started with a burglary attempt and ended with a suspect being taken into custody. (added) Here are the details via SPD Blotter:

Police took a man into custody after a woman called 911 to report someone was trying to break into her West Seattle home.

A woman called 911 at 8 a.m. Tuesday to report an unknown man had attempted to enter into her home in the 3000 block of 45th Avenue Southwest.

While officers were responding to the address, the woman updated dispatchers and told them the suspect had run down a nearby alley. Officers converged on the address and following a brief foot pursuit, took the 25-year-old suspect into custody.

Officers later booked the suspect into King County Jail for investigation of burglary.

YOUNGSTOWN THEFT: From a reader:

I captured this propane thief on video around noon (Monday). Hoping you can post in case anyone recognizes her. This is the third tank I’ve had stolen in the last year.

2:20 PM: We’re at the King County Courthouse, where 40-year-old Ryan J. Cox has just been sentenced to 5 years in prison for stabbing a man in Gatewood in August 2017.

(August 2017 WSB photo by Christopher Boffoli)

Superior Court Judge Susan Amini presided at the sentencing. Though the victim could not be at the hearing, a victims’ advocate read a lengthy letter he had written, saying Cox “should never be able to be free” after trying to kill him. The judge mentioned receiving a number of other letters from the victim’s family and friends.

Cox pleaded guilty last month to an enhanced version of the original second-degree-assault charge. The sentence ordered by Judge Amini is what prosecutors recommended, categorized in court documents as an “exceptional sentence” – four years in prison, plus one year after that for using a deadly weapon. Cox’s lawyer, meantime, filed a brief just before today’s sentencing, asking for a six-month sentence, the low end of the “standard” range, saying Cox “is trying to overcome his past difficulties and to better prepare himself to deal with these challenges in his future.” At the hearing, Cox contended the stabbing was in self-defense and expressed anger after the judge announced her decision.

As detailed in this WSB followup in 2017, Cox has a high-profile criminal history in the community, but mostly misdemeanors, which is what made this sentence “exceptional.” We recorded this afternoon’s hearing and will add video and details later.

5:15 PM: Video now added atop this story.

ADDED 9:04 PM: Here is our recap of the hearing:

Read More

Two notes in Crime Watch this midday:

1ST AVENUE S. BRIDGE SHOOTING: Reported this morning via SPD Blotter:

Gang Unit Detectives are investigating after a man was shot in the leg while driving over the 1st Avenue South bridge.

Officers were approached by an 18-year-old man in the 2600 block of South Holly Street at 1:20 a.m. Friday where he showed them a gunshot wound to his calf. The victim said he had been driving when he heard several shots and a single round entered the vehicle through the driver’s side door striking him in the leg. The victim was unable to provide any suspect description to officers.

Seattle Fire Department Medics transported the victim to Harborview Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.

Gang Unit Detectives are now investigating and are asking anyone with information to please call the tip line at 206-233-5000.

No indication if there’s any suspected link to earlier shootings reported further south on Highway 509.

CAR PROWLER ON CAMERA: The video and report are from Alex in Sunrise Heights:

We live near 32nd and Kenyon and have had our car prowled twice in the last couple weeks; one happened early at 930 pm. Both of these happened in our alley way. Wanted to … warn people and remind them to be safe and be on the lookout!

As reported here in West Seattle Crime Watch coverage, police investigated two armed robberies over the weekend. Today, we obtained the police-report narratives with details on both, while confirming that no one’s been arrested yet in either robbery:

SOUTH DELRIDGE: This holdup on Sunday night was a street robbery, according to the police report. The victim approached an officer in the 9000 block of Delridge Way SW around 10:42 pm Sunday night to say he had been robbed at gunpoint “a block or so south.” The officer drove south and spotted a suspect at 20th/Cambridge who refused to stop and kept his hand in a position that had police suspecting he was holding a gun. Eventually this turned into a foot pursuit but officers lost track of the suspect around 17th/Cambridge, and the ensuing K9-included search didn’t lead to an arrest. The victim told police that the robber got away with his iPhone.

(Saturday night photo by WSB’s Christopher Boffoli)

35TH/AVALON SALON: You might recall the description we published after this Saturday night holdup included an umbrella. The narrative adds one more detail – the 40ish robber held that umbrella in front of his face. The officer who wrote the report began by noting Salon Maison (4435 35th SW) “did not appear to have been robbed as patrons were still getting their hair styled” but then spoke with a witness who described herself as “in shock.” She told police the robber -who came in around 5:30 pm – showed a “silver handgun with brown or wood grip” and said, “I’m sorry to do this but I need all your money.” He took all the cash in the register except what police noted were “several $1 bills.” At least one surveillance camera caught an image that appeared to be the robber – umbrella and all.

That’s Sascha‘s teal-color 1993 Honda Accord wagon, stolen sometime Sunday night/Monday morning near Alki Avenue SW/60th Avenue SW. Plate number BDJ4620, bumper stickers for The Beer Junction and Lake Chelan Mountain View. If you see it, call 911.

Reader report from TD – a car break-in west of The Junction:

My Subaru Outback was gone through sometime last night. I thought I had locked it, but the battery is going out in my key fob and it might not have locked when pressed.
Nothing damaged and I don’t keep enough valuable stuff in the car for it to be much of a haul… a cheap cellphone auto charger, roll of dog poo bags, pair of cheap binoculars for bird watching and 1/2 book of stamps were the most valuable, along with some random papers, maps and a small notebook with non important information in it. The biggest concern is that they got my auto registration papers and owner’s manual, which I will have to replace.

This happened “in the alley between 46th and 47th, Oregon and Alaska,” and a police report has been filed.

Three notes in West Seattle Crime Watch:

CAR PROWLS: Two at one Fauntleroy home, according to this texted report: “Both of my cars were rummaged through in the early morning hours (Feb. 12). Doesn’t appear anything was taken. This was at 45th & Director.”

SUSPECTED PACKAGE THEFT: Another reader wanted to warn North Admiral neighbors about a suspected package thief. They were out shoveling snow when an older white Toyota pickup pulled up, with a “young woman … about 5’5″, long straight brown hair, with jeans tucked into her boots” got out, walked south, returned from the north a few minutes later with a package in hand, “and quickly got into her truck and drove off when she saw me. … I reported it to SPD.
Neighbors be on the lookout.”

Some court-case delays because of the snow, most notably:

RYAN COX SENTENCING RESCHEDULED: As reported here, Ryan J. Cox pleaded guilty last month to second-degree assault for stabbing a man in Gatewood in October 2017. His sentencing was originally set for last Friday, February 8th, but courts closed early because of the snow and he’s now scheduled to be sentenced on February 22nd.

Thanks to the texter who reported: “I’m having lunch at the Morgan Junction Subway and found out that they were (burglarized) last night. Broke through the back door, which was being repaired while I was there. Terrible to think thieves are taking advantage of businesses during the snowstorm.” We don’t have other details but the SPD Twitter log confirms the burglary report.

(1/26/2019 SDOT cam framegrab showing investigation scene)

ORIGINAL REPORT, 10:12 AM: A reader asked what ever happened in the case of the deadly shooting aboard a C Line bus while it was stopped in SODO two weeks ago. We found that the victim had been identified – 51-year-old Ronnie Tyler – but the status of the 88-year-old man accused of shooting him hadn’t been reported. So we checked with the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and discovered that they have filed a charge of first-degree manslaughter, with use of a deadly weapon, against Roger Mize. Here’s what the court documents allege happened:

… (At 11:12 am Saturday, January 26) suspect Roger Mize and victim Ronnie Tyler boarded a northbound King County Metro bus at 4th Ave. S. and S. Walker … The bus was equipped with multiple video cameras. A review of the video recording shows the following:

Suspect Mize boarded the bus first, while victim Tyler was behind him. Tyler stood behind Mize, and began to walk up the stairs of the bus to board, as Mize put money into the pay box. Mize then proceeded to walk back past the driver, as Tyler stood behind him. Mize continued to walk toward the seating area, and was approximately three feet or so past the driver’s seat. At that point, Tyler attempted to move around, to the right of Mize.

As Tyler moved past Mize, Mize pushed Tyler with his right hand and stated “get away from me, you dumb m—– f—–.” Tyler turned his attention to Mize, as Mize began to back up toward the front of the bus. Tyler replied to Mize, “What’d you call me?” Tyler started to nudge and push Mize backward with his left forearm. As that was happening, Mize turned his back to Tyler while he reached inside his front left jacket pocket and retrieved his pistol. Tyler then gave Mize a harder push, which jolted Mize forward and toward the front steps of the bus. It should be noted that this occurred simultaneous to the bus moving forward. Mize did not fall or lose his footing, but stumbled forward. Mize turned around and faced Tyler and then there was an approximate 2- to 3-second pause where both men simply stared at each other.

Without further provocation from Tyler and without warning, Mize forcefully struck Tyler twice in the face and head with the pistol (pistol whipped). The bus stopped at this point and the bus driver attempted to verbally stop the altercation. After absorbing the second blow by Mize, Tyler began to reach toward Mize, in what appears to be an attempt to stop him from hitting him. At that time, Mize delivers a third blow with his pistol to Tyler’s face/head. After the third strike, Mize fired his pistol, striking Tyler in the lower right abdomen. Tyler continued toward Mize, and pushed him out of the front doors of the bus. As Mize fell backward out of the bus, he fired a second shot (a fired bullet was later recovered by police from the pay box of the bus). Tyler collapsed onto the stairs of the bus and onto the ground.

Tyler died at Harborview Medical Center, which is also where Mize was taken. Detectives interviewed him there the next day. The court documents say he alleged that the victim had been hostile toward someone else at the bus stop, and that once they clashed on the bus, he felt he had to shoot Tyler because he was much younger and bigger. After that, the court document notes that Mize was arrested in another shooting incident five years ago in which he shot another man in the abdomen after some kind of altercation. No charges were filed because of a lack of witnesses and “objective evidence”; the man he shot survived. (We found this Seattle Times report about the case.) As for this case, Mize is scheduled to be arraigned on February 14th; as of the filing earlier this week, he was described as “receiving inpatient rehabilitation services at a care facility”; prosecutors wrote that they were not requesting bail “(g)iven the defendant’s current physical condition and his age.”

7:46 PM: Since publishing the story this morning, we’ve learned that Seattle Police are seeking an Extreme Risk Protection Order to temporarily prevent Mize from possessing guns. (ERPOs were explained at last month’s West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meeting.) In the document seeking the order, police say he has a valid concealed-pistol license and at least one gun, a .38-caliber revolver bought last April. Besides the two cases mentioned above, they say that he was arrested in Everett – where he lives, according to what’s listed as his “last known address” – for pulling a gun on a man last November. A temporary ERPO was granted at a hearing this week and a permanent one will be considered at a hearing later this month.

We’ve published West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports before about gym-locker thefts. This one, reported by Linh, led to the theft of her car:

Be on the lookout for a silver 2007 Lexus RX. license #AOE7002, that was taken last night between 7 pm-9 pm at the gym [LA Fitness]. They got into my locker in the women’s locker room. Took my gym bag including my car keys inside. It was a nylon black North Face tote. I always carry it with me with my clothes. … Hopefully someone saw something last night in the parking garage or has any information. Thank you.

If you see the car, call 911.